Donald Tsang yesterday kick-started his campaign for Hong Kong's highest public office with a blueprint of trust building, calling on the people to focus on the future rather than dwelling on past grumbles.

"If we open the door for a quarrel between the present and the past, we shall be in danger of losing the future," Tsang said in his declaration speech that officially kicked off his campaign for the chief executive (CE) post.

He also said it was important to see mutual trust develop between the central government and locals, especially over issues of major significance.

While local critics wanted to see the central government trust HK people, he said they must also trust the central government. "Only through trust can common values be arrived at. With trust, no problem cannot be solved," he said.

Tsang will today meet members of the 800-strong Election Committee (EC) that will return the new CE on July 10, followed by a number of campaign events for him to reach out to the people.

About six hours after the State Council announced its approval of his resignation as chief secretary for administration, Tsang attended a press conference in which he spelt out his election platform and the policies he would pursue if elected.

He also set the goals to earn the trust of the central government, rekindle people's faith in the SAR's leadership, rejuvenate the government and make his administration an "inclusive" one that favours no special interests.

If elected, he would implement policies that would maintain Hong Kong as a dynamic part of the country and nurture a renewed sense of patriotism where citizens took pride in the motherland.

(China Daily June 3, 2005)