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

John Lee, a pro-Beijing loyalist who is the only candidate for Hong Kong's high post, has been elected to be Hong Kong's next chief govt.

Paul Yeung | Bloomberg | Getty Photos

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

Lee, the one candidate for Hong Kong's prime post, received 1,416 votes in Sunday's election.

About 1,500 members of a largely pro-Beijing election committee cast their votes to pick out the new leader. Lee only wanted a simple 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 Govt Carrie Lam.

Hong Kong is a special administrative area of China which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, after the U.K. handed over the previous colony to Beijing. It is ruled below the "one nation, two techniques" framework, and has limited election rights and a mostly separate legal and financial system.

Hong Kong's electoral system went by a serious overhaul final year after Beijing mentioned that solely so-called "patriots" must be allowed to manipulate town.

At a press conference after his election, Lee was asked if his efficiency will likely be "challenged by the lack of electoral mandate and legitimacy within the eyes of some individuals."

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

"Anyone, who based on the regulation is certified, can take part and run for the election," he added.

Mentioning that he garnered more than 1,400 votes, Lee said: "With that variety of support, of course, it encourages me and gives me the robust confidence that my route is agreed and shared by a lot of election committee members."

John Lee, a Beijing loyalist, has been picked to be town's subsequent chief government.

Bloomberg | Getty Images

In a observe final week, analysts at Eurasia Group weighed in on Beijing's alternative of Lee as the next Hong Kong leader.

"The selection of Lee, a profession police officer who played a number one position in the crackdown on the pro-democracy protests that started in 2019, signifies that Beijing's prime precedence for Hong Kong is maintaining political security relatively than preserving its role as a dynamic global hub," they mentioned.

"Lee's appointment will reinforce Hong Kong's shift from being a global monetary and enterprise middle to playing a narrower role as a capital gateway for China," Eurasia's analysts mentioned. "While the dangers to political and monetary stability are modest, Lee's administration could also be poorly equipped to reply to a major shock."

In keeping with China's Covid-19 policy, Hong Kong has a so-called "dynamic zero" technique for the virus and imposed strict measures in January in an attempt to blunt its unfold. The town tightened restrictions further in February as new instances raged, but began easing slightly in late April.

The election was earlier postponed attributable to a surge in Covid cases in the Asian monetary hub.

I make it a very clear level that I'm very acutely aware of the must be accessible to the world. And in addition it is an important factor for Hong Kong to have the ability to resume regular journey with the mainland.

John Lee

Hong Kong's incoming chief executive

On the press convention, Lee was additionally requested how he'll show the international neighborhood that Hong Kong is open for enterprise.

"Sure, we have challenges now because of 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 need to be accessible to the world. And likewise it is an important factor for Hong Kong to be able to resume regular journey with the mainland."

He stated he will probably be speaking to his counterparts in Beijing "to search out out what are the situations that might be required for normal travel to be resumed with the mainland."

Lee additionally referred to as on residents to comply with the recommendation and measures of the federal government, and stated town will search to boost its vaccination rate. In response to government statistics, greater than 91% of the inhabitants above the age of 12 have obtained 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 successful election," she stated in a press launch. "The present-term government and I'll guarantee a seamless transition with the Chief Executive-elect. We are going to render all of the assist needed for the assumption of workplace by the new time period of presidency."

Correction: This story has been up to date to mirror that John Lee won 1,416 votes in Hong Kong's chief government election. An earlier version of the story misrepresented that figure.