Hong Kong’s next Chief Govt will be Beijing loyalist John Lee

John Lee, a pro-Beijing loyalist who is the only candidate for Hong Kong's top put up, has been elected to be Hong Kong's next chief executive.

Paul Yeung | Bloomberg | Getty Images

John Lee, a Beijing loyalist, has been elected to be Hong Kong's next chief executive.

Lee, the only candidate for Hong Kong's top put up, won 1,416 votes in Sunday's election.

About 1,500 members of a largely pro-Beijing election committee forged their votes to pick out the new chief. Lee solely needed a easy majority to win.

The 64-year-old Lee, who was formerly Hong Kong's chief secretary, will begin his five-year time period on July 1, changing outgoing Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

Hong Kong is a special administrative area of China which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, after the U.Okay. handed over the previous colony to Beijing. It is ruled underneath the "one country, two techniques" framework, and has restricted election rights and a principally separate legal and economic system.

Hong Kong's electoral system went by way of a significant overhaul last 12 months after Beijing mentioned that solely so-called "patriots" ought to be allowed to control the town.

At a press conference after his election, Lee was requested if his performance will likely be "challenged by the shortage of electoral mandate and legitimacy in the eyes of some folks."

His reply was that his election was "run in accordance with the laws of Hong Kong."

"Anyone, who in accordance with the regulation is qualified, can participate and run for the election," he added.

Pointing out that he garnered greater than 1,400 votes, Lee said: "With that variety of support, in fact, it encourages me and provides me the sturdy confidence that my direction is agreed and shared by plenty of election committee members."

John Lee, a Beijing loyalist, has been picked to be the city's next chief government.

Bloomberg | Getty Photographs

In a notice last week, analysts at Eurasia Group weighed in on Beijing's choice of Lee as the next Hong Kong chief.

"The choice of Lee, a career police officer who performed a number one function within the crackdown on the pro-democracy protests that began in 2019, indicates that Beijing's prime priority for Hong Kong is maintaining political security rather than preserving its function as a dynamic world hub," they mentioned.

"Lee's appointment will reinforce Hong Kong's shift from being a world financial and business center to enjoying a narrower role as a capital gateway for China," Eurasia's analysts said. "Whereas the risks to political and monetary stability are modest, Lee's administration may be poorly outfitted to reply to a significant shock."

In line with China's Covid-19 coverage, Hong Kong has a so-called "dynamic zero" strategy for the virus and imposed strict measures in January in an try and blunt its spread. The city tightened restrictions additional in February as new cases raged, but began easing slightly in late April.

The election was earlier postponed due to a surge in Covid instances within the Asian monetary hub.

I make it a really clear point that I'm very acutely aware of the must be accessible to the world. And also it is a vital thing for Hong Kong to have the ability to resume normal travel with the mainland.

John Lee

Hong Kong's incoming chief government

At the press convention, Lee was also requested how he will show the worldwide community that Hong Kong is open for business.

"Sure, we have challenges now due to the necessity to control Covid-19 and among the measures are indeed creating inconvenience," he acknowledged.

"I make it a very clear point that I'm very aware of the must be accessible to the world. And in addition it is a crucial thing for Hong Kong to have the ability to resume regular travel with the mainland."

He stated he can be talking to his counterparts in Beijing "to seek out out what are the conditions that might be required for normal journey to be resumed with the mainland."

Lee additionally known as on residents to follow the advice and measures of the federal government, and mentioned the town will search to spice up its vaccination fee. In accordance with government statistics, greater than 91% of the inhabitants above the age of 12 have received their first vaccine dose as of Saturday, and 85.2% have received their second dose.

Hong Kong's outgoing chief government Lam congratulated Lee on Sunday.

"I lengthen my honest congratulations to Mr John Lee on his profitable election," she stated in a press release. "The present-term government and I will guarantee a seamless transition with the Chief Government-elect. We will render all of the assist needed for the belief of office by the new time period of government."

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that John Lee won 1,416 votes in Hong Kong's chief govt election. An earlier model of the story misrepresented that figure.