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

John Lee, a pro-Beijing loyalist who's the one candidate for Hong Kong's top submit, has been elected to be Hong Kong's subsequent chief executive.

Paul Yeung | Bloomberg | Getty Photographs

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

Lee, the one candidate for Hong Kong's prime put up, gained 1,416 votes in Sunday's election.

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

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

Hong Kong is a particular administrative area of China which returned to Chinese language rule in 1997, after the U.K. handed over the previous colony to Beijing. It's ruled under the "one country, two techniques" framework, and has restricted election rights and a principally separate authorized and economic system.

Hong Kong's electoral system went by way of a serious overhaul last 12 months after Beijing said that solely so-called "patriots" should be allowed to manipulate the city.

At a press conference after his election, Lee was asked if his efficiency can be "challenged by the shortage of electoral mandate and legitimacy within the eyes of some people."

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

"Anyone, who in keeping with the regulation is qualified, can take part and run for the election," he added.

Mentioning that he garnered greater than 1,400 votes, Lee mentioned: "With that number of help, of course, it encourages me and offers me the strong confidence that my route 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 executive.

Bloomberg | Getty Photos

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

"The selection of Lee, a career police officer who played a number one role within the crackdown on the pro-democracy protests that started in 2019, indicates that Beijing's top precedence for Hong Kong is maintaining political security moderately than preserving its function as a dynamic world hub," they mentioned.

"Lee's appointment will reinforce Hong Kong's shift from being a global financial and business center to taking part in a narrower function as a capital gateway for China," Eurasia's analysts mentioned. "While the risks to political and financial stability are modest, Lee's administration could also be poorly outfitted to respond to a major shock."

According to China's Covid-19 coverage, Hong Kong has a so-called "dynamic zero" technique for the virus and imposed strict measures in January in an attempt to blunt its spread. The town tightened restrictions additional in February as new circumstances raged, but began easing barely in late April.

The election was earlier postponed as a consequence of a surge in Covid instances in the Asian financial hub.

I make it a very clear point that I am very conscious of the must be accessible to the world. And also it is a crucial thing for Hong Kong to be able to resume regular travel with the mainland.

John Lee

Hong Kong's incoming chief government

On the press conference, Lee was additionally asked how he'll present the international group that Hong Kong is open for enterprise.

"Yes, we've got challenges now due to the need to control Covid-19 and a few of the measures are indeed creating inconvenience," he acknowledged.

"I make it a very clear level that I am very acutely aware of the need to be accessible to the world. And also it is a vital factor for Hong Kong to have the ability to resume regular travel with the mainland."

He said he can be talking to his counterparts in Beijing "to find out what are the conditions that will probably be required for normal travel to be resumed with the mainland."

Lee also known as on citizens to observe the recommendation and measures of the federal government, and said the town will search to boost its vaccination charge. In response to government statistics, greater than 91% of the population 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 executive Lam congratulated Lee on Sunday.

"I prolong my honest congratulations to Mr John Lee on his successful election," she mentioned in a press launch. "The present-term authorities and I will guarantee a seamless transition with the Chief Executive-elect. We'll render all of the support needed for the belief of workplace by the new term of presidency."

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