Hong Kong Chief Executive Faces Corruption Hearing

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, Donald Tsang, went before a hearing on Thursday amid allegations of corruption. It comes just one month before elections in the Special Administrative Region.

Editor of Hong Kong’s “Open” magazine, Choi Wing-mui, says Hong Kong’s media has played a role in exposing suspicious actions from Donald Tsang.

[Choi Wing-mui, Hong Kong Open Magazine Editor]:
"Major Hong Kong media outlets have seen increasing penetration from mainland China. But the freedom of the press still essentially remains. So, a lot of inside stories can be unearthed once they were published in newspapers or exposed by news media."

Inside stories such as alleged misconduct relating to Tsang’s dealings with businessman Wong Cho-bau.

Wong is a mainland Chinese businessman, a member of the CCP’s Political Consultative Conference and a major shareholder of the Digital Broadcasting Group in Hong Kong. It was discovered that Tsang was leasing a ten thousand square foot penthouse apartment from Wong in Donghai Garden in Shenzhen. Rent for the property is estimated at over 23 thousand US dollars per month. Tsang now faces the accusation that he accepted the apartment as a favor from Wong in exchange for issuing broadcasting licenses issued to Wong’s company in Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s chief executive is elected by the 1200 member Legislative Council. It's mostly made up of wealthy businessmen and they must be approved by Beijing.

Choi says this lack of universal suffrage has led to inevitable corruption.

[Choi Wing-mui, Hong Kong Open Magazine Editor]:
"Hong Kong has become more corrupt after the ‘97 handover. It has been influenced to become more corrupt by Communist officials. Because the power of Hong Kong’s chief executive does not come from Hong Kong, it comes from Beijing. When Beijing approves, he can be elected. So there is no way to keep him in check, you cannot do it, and he will naturally become corrupt."

Over 200 people took to the streets in Hong Kong on Sunday, February 26th, demanding an investigation into Tsang’s dealings. Chinese democracy activist Qin Yongmin says mainland Chinese long for the civil liberties to investigate their leader.

[Qin Yongmin, Chinese Democracy Activist]:
"Hong Kong has a high degree of civil liberties. So it’s not hard for people to perceive and disclose scandals of the incumbent chief executive. Mainland Chinese people are in much hope of having rights to investigate, monitor and depose the head of state."

These civil liberties are now being tested in Hong Kong.