Carrie Lam Officially in the Race

Carrie Lam unveils her slogan, "We Connect", but what does that mean?

This afternoon former Chief Secretary Carrie Lam ChengYuet-ngor officially threw her hat into the race to become the next Chief Executive of Hong Kong.

She made the announcement at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and managed to round up a big support base that featured a number of tycoons, such as Peter Woo Kwong-ching, retired Wheelock and Wharf Holdings chairman, Stewart Leung Chi-kin, chairman of the Real Estate Developers Association's executive committee, businessman Allan Zeman, Lee Shau-kee, Henderson Land chairman, and Robert Kuok, founder of the Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.

So the developers must have been rubbing their hands with glee when hearing Lam promising to ease the housing issue with more land for homes.

Kan stands among some business heavyweights for a photo

Political heavy weights were there too, like Elsie Leung Oi-sie, vice-chairwoman of the Basic Law Committed of the National People's Congress, and Maria Tam Wai-chu, local deputy to the National People's Congress.

However, not a single pan-democrat was seen at the event.

On stage Lam ditched her usual serious demeanor and tried to look energetic, with a group of young people behind her, all of them wearing T-shirts that read: "We Connect". Connect to what? Certainly not the rest of us. Perhaps she means she connects with Beijing?

Lam tried to give a more down-to-earth picture of herself, talking about how she was raised in Wan Chai and remembers how her parents worked so hard so that they could afford a flat in Quarry Bay.

She got a few people to vouch for her, including elder son Jeremy, who flew down from Beijing for the event. At first he wasn't enthusiastic about his mother's political ambitions, but apparently has now turned around. Interesting her other son and husband didn't make any public endorsements.

In her speech she recalled how her family was so optimistic about the future, as if a hint to suggest she could bring back that positive attitude.

John Tsang seems more popular with average people

But how is she going to do that? She is not seen as a grassroots person -- taking a taxi in the middle of the night up to her former residence at The Peak because she didn't now where to buy toilet paper. And Lam didn't seem sympathetic when she represented the government during the 2014 Umbrella Protests when it had a meeting with the student leaders during a televised showdown.

Nevertheless, word on the street is that Lam is the favourite to win the election in March. But you never know -- one misstep and things could sway in favour of second favourite John Tsang Chun-wah. He appears to be the one the public favours for his easy-going attitude and seems to be more of a local guy despite going to school in the United States.

So has the race begin in earnest now? We the people who are unable to cast a ballot can only watch from the sidelines. With four candidates, it's already an interesting race.

Money Talks for Tycoons

Li Ka-shing hints the economy will go sour if political reform not approved

As expected, Hong Kong's tycoons have spoken out in favour of political reform.

In the last few days, four of them have voiced their opinion, including Li Ka-shing.

Today at Cheung Kong Centre in Central, the 86-year-old Li said if the package is not voted through, it would be an "unwilling and inestimable loss" for all Hong Kong people, including him, and that it "will hit" the city's economy.

Lee Shau-kee sweetens deal with HK$1 billion donation

However at the same time he said it would not affect his company's investment in Hong Kong, saying, "The two are not related."

He said: "Pan-democrats are people with ideals, but they should also know that they are elected by voters, and many people want the political reform [package] to be approved. What good would be a disapproval bring, what benefit is there for Hong Kong?

"There are many capable, wise people among the pan-democrats. They should sit down for the sake of Hong Kong's well-being and think about what to do," he urged.

Excuse me Mr Li, but there are many people the pan-democrats represent who do not want the political reform package to be approved. They do not want to participate in a fixed race. You may like the candidates because they suit your political alignments, but not us.

Peter Woo calls for lawmakers to use "public wisdom"

Then yesterday Henderson Land Development chairman Lee Shau-kee, 86, said Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index could surpass 30,000 points if the reform package was given the green light, and added he would sweeten the deal with a HK$1 billion donation to charity.

Translation: If you support the political reform proposal, you will make us tycoons even richer so I'll donate some money to you poor little things.

Former Wharf chairman Peter Woo Kwong-ching issued a strongly worded statement calling on "non-radical lawmakers to "stand on the side of public wisdom" and support the government proposal.

What public wisdom? How is a fixed race good for Hong Kong?

And then K Wah Group chairman Lui Che-woo penned an article, saying social conflicts had weakened Hong Kong's competitiveness, and that different sectors should seek a win-win solution on political reform.

Lui Che-woo says social conflicts affect HK's competitiveness

Mr Lui, perhaps you would like to sort out the city's social conflicts for the government, because it doesn't seem to care. We all want a win-win solution on political reform but at the moment it's all one-sided. Perhaps you can contact Beijing for us and tell them to negotiate with the pan-democrats in good faith?

Through their words it's obvious the tycoons are only interested in the economic impact of the political reform package, not how this will affect Hong Kong and its people in the long term.

They are just towing the Party line and hoping that by repeating the mantra of passing political reform, that it will eventually happen.

Meanwhile the media asked Li if he would mourn the Tiananmen Square crackdown tomorrow, and Li said the incident was "very regrettable".

Talk about downplaying one of the darkest events in modern Chinese history...