ABSTRACT

The lack of social cohesion has long been recognized as a constraint on the governance capacity of Hong Kong following its reversion to Chinese sovereignty in July 1997 as a special administrative region (SAR). 1 Economic decline triggered by the Asian financial crisis had undermined the government’s performance-based legitimacy inherited from the previous colonial administration. Fiscal stress had also exposed a government lacking democratic mandate and unable to fulfil expectations and demands. Though largely free of religious, racial, ethnic or even class conflicts, Hong Kong society has been embroiled in a political quagmire over the issue of democratization, which exploded through the anti-government protests by half a million people on 1 July 2003 and finally resulted in the departure of former Chief Executive Tung Cheehwa. In his final days, Tung had already recognized the need for social harmony, which also echoed the Chinese central government’s objective to achieve a harmonious society on the mainland of China. His successor, Donald Tsang, has emphasized the dual themes of strong governance and fostering harmony.