Shaw Sin-Ming: The Pig, the Wolf, and the Dragon

HONG KONG - Political mayhem has broken out in Hong Kong, and has caught China's government, already in the midst of a delicate political transition of its own, completely unprepared.

The 1,200 privileged delegates carefully screened by China to 'elect' Hong Kong's next Chief Executive (CE) on March 25 would normally take their cues from China's rulers. Indeed, the original electoral script was a one-act, one-star play.

Henry Tang, unkindly nicknamed 'Pig' by the Hong Kong press for his unimpressive intellect, and a heretofore supporting actor, C. Y. Leung, nicknamed 'Wolf' for his perceived chilly ruthlessness, were the entire cast.

Both men have impeccable pro-China credentials, a prerequisite to becoming CE. While there is a third, pro-democracy, candidate standing somewhere in the wings, he doesn't stand a chance, because China would never allow him to get the 601 votes needed to win.