Hong Kong's chief executive, Mr. Tung Chee-hwa, resigned last week. His departure was in keeping with his entire term as chief executive: confused, messy and ultimately damaging to his office and Hong Kong itself. His replacement must break that tradition and restore the luster to Hong Kong's image. It is a difficult task that requires a keen sensitivity to political realities in Beijing while respecting democratic aspirations at home. Nonetheless, looking back at Mr. Tung's tenure, it is clear that a better balance can be struck.

Mr. Tung was a surprise choice for chief executive. He is a Western-educated shipping tycoon who had no political experience when he was picked by Beijing to lead the Special Administrative Region (or SAR as Hong Kong is officially known) after it was returned to China in 1997. Although he was a political neophyte, he was not unknown in Beijing: The family business had been bailed out by the mainland in the 1980s after experiencing financial trouble. That history suggested that Mr. Tung might be overly sensitive to Beijing's wishes when dealing with certain issues, especially the question of how much democracy was appropriate for Hong Kong.

Upon taking office, Mr. Tung was seen as a reassuring grandfatherly figure, a much-needed quality amid the uncertainties of the handover. We will never know how much credit Mr. Tung deserves for helping ease anxieties at that time, but he lost his soothing touch soon after.