Hong Kong: The Airport Debacle May Play Into Beijing's Hands

The nightmarish debut of Hong Kong's $20 billion Chek Lap Kok airport has been one big public-relations debacle. Tales of lost baggage, computer bugs, and decaying cargo have made the former British colony the laughing stock of Asia. For shipping magnate and Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, the affair is raising a political stench that may linger long after the last crate of bad fish is hauled away.

Tung's flawed crisis management has allowed his critics to go on the political attack. With popularly elected members of Hong Kong's Legislative Council leading the charge, they are demanding a full inquiry into the airport fiasco. Academics, business leaders, and pro-Beijing politicians are joining the outcry and insisting that Tung must change the way he runs Hong Kong.