Thursday, October 4, 2012

Follow-up on Monday's fatal boat collision in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying was criticized for allowing Beijing official Li Gang to play a role a high-profile news event after a tragic board collision on Monday killed 38.

The tragedy happened when a boat transporting 120 staff and family members of a power company to watch a fireworks display crashed into a commuter ferry and quickly sank.

Hong Kong citizens dressed in black Thursday and had a moment of silence for three minutes at noon as they observed the first of three days of official mourning. Friends and relatives of those killed in the crash sailed to the scene Hong Kong's southwestern coast to take part in a traditional Chinese mourning ritual by tossing spirit money in honor of the victims.

While Hong Kong went back under Beijing's control 15 years ago, the city typically enjoys an unusual degree of autonomy. "It's unusual for Hong Kong officials to let their counterparts from mainland China play such a high-profile role in events they're not involved in," according to the Washington Post.

"Leung Chun-ying should not have allowed Li Gang to interfere in such a high-profile way," said Hong Kong's Apple newspaper. "In this way, many residents feel deeply that Li Gang and the Central Liaison office are the real captains of the ship."

For more of the Washington Post story: washingtonpost.com

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