Changing of the Guard
With Britain’s hand-over of Hong Kong to China comes a change in local leadership:
Outgoing:
* Chris Patten, 53, British governor of Hong Kong. Patten is a former British Cabinet minister and former chairman of the Conservative Party. As governor since 1992, he expanded Hong Kong’s democratic freedoms, leading China to accuse him of violating agreements for returning the colony to Chinese control. How he wants Hong Kong to remember Britain: “I’d want them to think that we did our best, that we lived up to our ideals.”
Incoming:
* Tung Chee-hwa, 60, Beijing-appointed chief executive. The former shipping tycoon emphasizes the need to balance Beijing’s desire for stability and Hong Kong’s need to keep its political and economic freedoms. Tung is a strong believer in “Asian values,” meaning the good of the group wins out over the rights of the individual.
The New Flag: Features a stylized rendering of the bauhinia, Hong Kong’s offical flower.
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