Hong Kong's Election Committee Puzzles Over Its Choice
The campaign for chief executive is muddied by scandal, popular ire
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It could be the highlight of Hong Kong’s election season: The three men who want to be the special administrative region’s next leader face off on March 16 in a two-hour debate that will be broadcast live, giving Hong Kong’s 7 million people a chance to hear from the men vying to become the next chief executive.
Almost nobody watching the showdown will be able to cast a vote, though. Unlike mainland China, Hong Kong has a freewheeling elected legislature, uncensored media, and frequent anti-government protests, but when it comes to the March 25 vote, the ex-British colony sticks to a playbook crafted by the Chinese leadership.