Hong Kong’s next Chief Executive shall be Beijing loyalist John Lee

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

Paul Yeung | Bloomberg | Getty Photos

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

Lee, the one candidate for Hong Kong's high publish, 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 brand new chief. Lee only needed a easy majority to win.

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

Hong Kong is a particular administrative region of China which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, after the U.Ok. handed over the former colony to Beijing. It's ruled beneath the "one country, two programs" framework, and has restricted election rights and a largely separate authorized and economic system.

Hong Kong's electoral system went via a significant overhaul final yr after Beijing stated that only so-called "patriots" ought to be allowed to control the town.

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

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

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

Stating that he garnered more than 1,400 votes, Lee said: "With that variety of support, of course, it encourages me and provides me the sturdy confidence that my route is agreed and shared by lots of election committee members."

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

Bloomberg | Getty Photographs

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

"The number of Lee, a profession police officer who played a leading function in the crackdown on the pro-democracy protests that began in 2019, signifies that Beijing's prime precedence for Hong Kong is sustaining political safety reasonably than preserving its function as a dynamic global hub," they stated.

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

Consistent 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 try and blunt its spread. The town tightened restrictions further in February as new circumstances raged, but began easing barely in late April.

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

I make it a very clear level that I'm very acutely aware of the need to be accessible to the world. And likewise it is an important thing for Hong Kong to be able to resume regular journey with the mainland.

John Lee

Hong Kong's incoming chief executive

On the press convention, Lee was also asked how he'll show the international group that Hong Kong is open for enterprise.

"Sure, we have now challenges now because of the need to control Covid-19 and among the measures are certainly creating inconvenience," he acknowledged.

"I make it a very clear level that I'm very acutely aware of the must 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 stated he can be talking to his counterparts in Beijing "to find out what are the conditions that might be required for normal journey to be resumed with the mainland."

Lee also known as on residents to observe the advice and measures of the federal government, and mentioned the town will search to boost its vaccination charge. In keeping 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 obtained their second dose.

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

"I extend my sincere congratulations to Mr John Lee on his profitable election," she stated in a press release. "The present-term government and I will ensure a seamless transition with the Chief Govt-elect. We will render all of the assist wanted for the belief of workplace by the brand new time period of presidency."

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