John Lee, a Beijing loyalist, has been chosen as the city’s next chief executive.
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John Lee, a Beijing loyalist, has been elected as Hong Kong’s next Chief Executive Officer.
Lee, the only candidate for the top spot of Hong Kong, won more than 1,416 votes in Sunday’s election. He needed only a simple majority and obtained the required 750+ votes.
About 1,500 members of a largely pro-Beijing election committee voted to choose the new chief executive. The previous election was postponed due to an increase in Covid cases in the Chinese city.
Lee, 64, will replace outgoing Chief Executive Carrie Lam on July 1, when he begins his five-year term.
“I extend my sincere congratulations to Mr. John Lee on the successful election and by the end of the day I will submit an election result report to the Central People’s Government,” the outgoing leader said. Lam said Sunday.
“The current government and I will ensure a seamless transition with the CEO elected. We will support all that is needed to take on the new term of government. “, Lam said in one government press release.
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China administered under the framework of “one country, two systems”. The city has limited suffrage and a largely separate legal and economic system.
“The selection of Lee, a professional police officer who played a leading role in the crackdown on pro-democracy protests that began in 2019, shows Beijing’s top priority for Hong Kong. Kong is more about maintaining political security than maintaining its role as a global dynamic,” analysts at Eurasia Group said last week before the election.
“Lee’s appointment will underpin Hong Kong’s transition from a global business and financial hub to playing a narrower role as a gateway to capital for China,” said Eurasia analysts. . “Although the risks to political and financial stability are modest, Lee’s administration may be ill-equipped to deal with a major shock.”
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