HONG KONG, OCT 29: Hong Kong's media lashed out at Chinese President Jiang Zemin on Saturday after he flew into a rage over questions they posed to him, making clear to the Chinese leader they were not going to swallow the insult. "Jiang Zemin throws tantrum, loses stature," the mass-circulated Apple Daily hit back with in its headlines.Like the Appleq, all other newspapers gave front page treatment to Jiang's tirade against the Hong Kong media on Friday, and many ran scathing editorials berating him over the incident."(Jiang's) condescending manner.shows the hollow-heartedness and arrogance of Chinese leaders," the Hong Kong Economic Journal said. The episode would harm Jiang's image, it added. The condemnations came after Jiang hollered at a group of Hong Kong journalists and television crew in Beijing when they asked him if Hong Kong leader Tung Chee-hwa was "The Emperor's choice" to serve another five-year term. The normally jocular Jiang lunged from his armchair and advanced angrily on the group to deliver a shrill diatribe that lasted several minutes.Tung, whose term ends in July 2002, remained in his chair, grinning broadly, throughout the outburst. Apparently upset by the question's reference to imperial China, a visibly irate and emotional Jiang shouted: "The media must raise its knowledge, do you know that? Your questions are too simple, sometimes naive!" Jiang, who said he backed a second term for Tung, added: "When I say what I say, it's not because I've chosen him.but it must still be done according to Hong Kong's laws."While Tung was selected by a Beijing-picked committee of 400 people in 1996, China has always maintained the official line that the committee was representative of the wishes of Hong Kong's people and that Tung was fairly elected. The next chief executive will be selected by a Beijing-appointed committee of 800.The Hong Kong Mail said Jiang had shown remarkable naivete in responding with such ferocity. "The president does not explode without there being repercussions. How will mainland, and Hong Kong, officials now behave towards the Hong Kong media? "In just a few minutes, Jiang has undermined his own reputation," the editorial said. Newspaper cartoonists had a field day too. A cartoon in the Apple Daily showed Jiang spouting fire on two blackened and bewildered television crew. Tung managed only this response after his meeting with Jiang."President Jiang actually loves you all very much.he merely gave kind encouragement. I think it is a good thing for people to improve their standards," he told the same group of Hong Kong reporters late on Friday. Hong Kong politicians and analysts also criticised Jiang's outburst, saying the question was legitimate and sensible. "In a society with press freedom, journalists ask questions that are of concern to the public, not according to the will of the officials," said Cheung Kin-bor, chairman of the New Executives Association.Jiang's support for Tung, whose popularity has been flagging, came after Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and Vice Premier Qian Qichen also gave their approval. Political analysts say such open backing will cast doubts on fairplay in the selection of Hong Kong's second leader in 2002 and will discourage genuine contenders for the position.
