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

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

Paul Yeung | Bloomberg | Getty Photos

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

Lee, the only candidate for Hong Kong's high submit, received 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 chief. Lee only needed a easy majority to win.

The 64-year-old Lee, who was previously Hong Kong's chief secretary, will begin his five-year time period on July 1, replacing outgoing Chief Govt 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 governed under the "one nation, two systems" framework, and has restricted election rights and a principally separate authorized and economic system.

Hong Kong's electoral system went via a major overhaul final yr after Beijing stated that only so-called "patriots" needs to be allowed to govern town.

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

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

"Anybody, who in response to the law is certified, can take part and run for the election," he added.

Mentioning that he garnered greater than 1,400 votes, Lee said: "With that number of help, in fact, it encourages me and offers me the robust confidence that my course is agreed and shared by numerous election committee members."

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

Bloomberg | Getty Photographs

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

"The number of Lee, a career police officer who performed a number one role in the crackdown on the pro-democracy protests that began in 2019, signifies that Beijing's high precedence for Hong Kong is sustaining political security relatively than preserving its role as a dynamic world hub," they said.

"Lee's appointment will reinforce Hong Kong's shift from being a world monetary and business middle to taking part in a narrower position as a capital gateway for China," Eurasia's analysts stated. "Whereas the risks to political and financial stability are modest, Lee's administration may be poorly geared up to answer a serious shock."

In keeping with China's Covid-19 policy, Hong Kong has a so-called "dynamic zero" strategy for the virus and imposed strict measures in January in an attempt to blunt its spread. Town tightened restrictions additional in February as new cases raged, however began easing barely in late April.

The election was earlier postponed attributable to a surge in Covid instances in the Asian financial hub.

I make it a very clear level that I am very aware of the must be accessible to the world. And also it is a vital thing for Hong Kong to be able to resume normal journey with the mainland.

John Lee

Hong Kong's incoming chief government

On the press conference, Lee was also asked how he will present the international neighborhood that Hong Kong is open for business.

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

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

He said he will be talking to his counterparts in Beijing "to search out out what are the situations that will likely be required for normal travel to be resumed with the mainland."

Lee additionally referred to as on residents to follow the advice and measures of the government, and stated town will seek to spice up its vaccination charge. Based on government statistics, more than 91% of the inhabitants above the age of 12 have obtained their first vaccine dose as of Saturday, and 85.2% have obtained their second dose.

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

"I lengthen my sincere congratulations to Mr John Lee on his profitable election," she said in a press release. "The current-term government and I'll guarantee a seamless transition with the Chief Government-elect. We'll render all of the support needed for the belief of workplace by the brand new term of government."

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