Carrie Lam demonstrates traditional Asian values in governing Hong Kong

We all know that, in general, Asian values are more paternalistic (reference: Confucian teachings) whereas Western values are less hierarchical (reference: John Stuart Mill).

Carrie Lam, despite being a female leader, revealed her true values as Hong Kong’s leader with the use of her own metaphor when describing the current situation of protesters against the extradition bill:

“To use a metaphor, I’m a mother too, I have two sons,” she said. “If I let him have his way every time my son acted like that, such as when he didn’t want to study, things might be OK between us in the short term.

“But if I indulge his wayward behaviour, he might regret it when he grows up. He will then ask me: ‘Mum, why didn’t you call me up on that back then?’” 

— Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, CE, HK

This is why the majority of Hongkongers do not respect Carrie Lam. Lam treats Hongkongers, to use her own metaphor literally, as though she is the authority figure who must be obeyed by the lesser experienced, lesser educated and lesser evolved citizens. Lam does not respect other people’s views, especially those who are beneath her. The only individuals who Lam will listen to are those who are hierarchically above her (ie, the head of the China Liaison Office in HK and obviously China’s supreme leader Xi Jinping who can stay on as supreme leader of China indefinitely.

Hong Kong does not have a strong independent leader ... but most Hongkongers know this anyway because China chooses who becomes the chief executive of Hong Kong, which means the chief executive of Hong Kong always knows her/his place within the paternalistic hierarchy of China.