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

John Lee, a pro-Beijing loyalist who is the one candidate for Hong Kong's prime publish, has been elected to be Hong Kong's subsequent 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 one candidate for Hong Kong's prime put up, received 1,416 votes in Sunday's election.

About 1,500 members of a largely pro-Beijing election committee solid their votes to select the new leader. Lee solely wanted 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.K. handed over the previous colony to Beijing. It is ruled beneath the "one nation, two systems" framework, and has limited election rights and a mostly separate legal and financial system.

Hong Kong's electoral system went by a major overhaul last year after Beijing mentioned that only so-called "patriots" should be allowed to manipulate town.

At a press conference after his election, Lee was asked if his performance might be "challenged by the lack 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."

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

Pointing out that he garnered greater than 1,400 votes, Lee stated: "With that number of support, in fact, it encourages me and offers me the strong confidence that my direction is agreed and shared by numerous election committee members."

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

Bloomberg | Getty Photographs

In a note last week, analysts at Eurasia Group weighed in on Beijing's alternative of Lee as the following Hong Kong leader.

"The number of Lee, a career police officer who played a number one position in the crackdown on the pro-democracy protests that began in 2019, indicates that Beijing's high priority for Hong Kong is maintaining political security rather than preserving its role as a dynamic global hub," they said.

"Lee's appointment will reinforce Hong Kong's shift from being a world monetary and business heart to playing a narrower function as a capital gateway for China," Eurasia's analysts mentioned. "Whereas the dangers to political and monetary stability are modest, Lee's administration may be poorly geared up to respond to a major shock."

In step with 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 try and blunt its spread. Town tightened restrictions additional in February as new circumstances raged, but started easing slightly in late April.

The election was earlier postponed on account of a surge in Covid instances in the Asian monetary hub.

I make it a very 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 be able to resume normal travel with the mainland.

John Lee

Hong Kong's incoming chief executive

On the press convention, Lee was additionally asked how he'll present the worldwide community that Hong Kong is open for enterprise.

"Sure, we've challenges now because of the necessity to management Covid-19 and a number of the measures are indeed creating inconvenience," he acknowledged.

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

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

Lee additionally known as on residents to comply with the advice and measures of the government, and said town will search to boost its vaccination fee. In keeping with 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 govt Lam congratulated Lee on Sunday.

"I extend my honest congratulations to Mr John Lee on his successful election," she mentioned in a press release. "The present-term government and I will ensure a seamless transition with the Chief Government-elect. We are going to render all of the support wanted for the idea of office 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 executive election. An earlier model of the story misrepresented that determine.