Rival camps hope numbers add up in Hong Kong accountants' council election

Staid world of accounting sees pro-Beijing, pro-democracy candidates tussle for support

Pro-democracy candidates who won in Hong Kong's district council local elections gathering outside The Hong Kong Polytechnic University on Nov 25. The city's political scene is increasingly reflected in industries like accountancy, where council candidate
Pro-democracy candidates who won in Hong Kong's district council local elections gathering outside The Hong Kong Polytechnic University on Nov 25. The city's political scene is increasingly reflected in industries like accountancy, where council candidates are judged on their perceived political leanings. PHOTO: REUTERS

HONG KONG • Less than a month after Hong Kongers delivered a landslide victory to pro-democracy candidates in district elections, the battle over the city's future is shifting somewhere you might not expect: the staid world of accounting.

Candidates in this year's election for the council of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CPA) are being judged largely based on whether they support the city's pro-democracy movement or are seen to align with the pro-Beijing establishment.

It is not the first time citywide debates have influenced the institute, which certifies accountants and is responsible for overseeing industry standards.

But this year's election is proving especially heated in the wake of protests that have rocked the financial hub for almost six months, according to Ms Rosalind Lee, one of the six pro-democracy candidates for the council.

It underscores the degree to which pro-democracy and pro-government forces are fighting for influence across Hong Kong, even at institutions that ostensibly have little to do with politics.

Similar battles are reported to have played out in varying degrees at other professional groups for architects, engineers, doctors and lawyers.

With votes from 44,000 members of the accounting institute due today, the pro-democracy camp has taken to social media to drum up support from younger members of the profession.

Pro-Beijing accounting firms and related organisations have been urging staff to support their favoured candidates, while officials from China's liaison office in Hong Kong have frequented industry banquets and forums.

All of the so-called Big Four global accounting firms - Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Ernst & Young and KPMG - have sent identical lists of pro-establishment candidates to staff, according to notices seen by Bloomberg.

All four firms have a big presence in China. Ernst & Young, Deloitte and KPMG spokesmen declined to comment. PwC was not available for comment.

The Chinese government is using various groups in Hong Kong, commonly known as satellite associations, to mobilise support for its preferred candidates, said political scientist Benson Wong, a former assistant professor at Hong Kong Baptist University.

For some pro-democracy industry practitioners, Beijing's attempts to influence the council election look excessive.

"It's very bad for the profession, and it's bad for 'one country, two systems'," said Mr Kenneth Leung, an accountant and a lawmaker on the Legislative Council.

The accounting council, which counts Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan among its former leaders, said in a statement that it is "confident in the integrity" of the election. "We trust and expect that no parties will manipulate the system, as integrity is the bedrock of the CPA profession."

The China liaison office did not respond to a fax seeking a comment.

While pro-establishment council members have long dominated the accounting institute, their grip has weakened in recent years. Five from the pro-democracy side were elected last year to the 21-member council after campaigning together for the first time the previous year.

In some ways, the candidates' platforms mirror those of pro-democracy politicians in Hong Kong. They are advocating a "one person, one vote" system for the council president - currently elected only by council members - and for the institute to take a stance on social issues such as the now-withdrawn extradition Bill that sparked the city's protests.

This year's vote involves seven seats on the council and pits six pro-democracy candidates against seven from the establishment camp.

Four of the pro-democracy candidates are running for re-election, meaning that at most, they will be able to pick up two more seats.

It would be a far cry from the historic shift seen in last month's district council elections, but pro-democracy supporters are pushing for every victory they can get.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 09, 2019, with the headline Rival camps hope numbers add up in Hong Kong accountants' council election. Subscribe