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

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

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 top post, received 1,416 votes in Sunday's election.

About 1,500 members of a largely pro-Beijing election committee cast their votes to pick out the new chief. Lee only needed a simple majority to win.

The 64-year-old Lee, who was formerly Hong Kong's chief secretary, will start his five-year time period on July 1, replacing outgoing Chief Govt Carrie Lam.

Hong Kong is a particular administrative region of China which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, after the U.Okay. handed over the former colony to Beijing. It's governed underneath the "one country, two techniques" framework, and has limited election rights and a mostly separate legal and economic system.

Hong Kong's electoral system went by means of a major overhaul last 12 months after Beijing mentioned that solely so-called "patriots" should be allowed to govern the city.

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

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

"Anybody, who according to the regulation is qualified, can participate and run for the election," he added.

Stating that he garnered greater than 1,400 votes, Lee mentioned: "With that variety of assist, in fact, it encourages me and gives me the strong confidence that my direction is agreed and shared by plenty of election committee members."

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

Bloomberg | Getty Photos

In a be aware final week, analysts at Eurasia Group weighed in on Beijing's selection of Lee as the following Hong Kong leader.

"The choice of Lee, a career police officer who played a leading role within the crackdown on the pro-democracy protests that started in 2019, signifies that Beijing's prime precedence for Hong Kong is sustaining political security moderately than preserving its function as a dynamic global hub," they stated.

"Lee's appointment will reinforce Hong Kong's shift from being a world financial and enterprise middle to enjoying a narrower function as a capital gateway for China," Eurasia's analysts said. "Whereas the dangers to political and monetary stability are modest, Lee's administration could also be poorly equipped to respond to a serious shock."

Consistent 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 attempt to blunt its spread. The city tightened restrictions further in February as new instances raged, however began easing slightly in late April.

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

I make it a really clear level that I'm very aware of the need to be accessible to the world. And in addition it is an important factor 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 requested how he will show the international community that Hong Kong is open for enterprise.

"Yes, we have challenges now due to the need to management Covid-19 and some of the measures are certainly creating inconvenience," he acknowledged.

"I make it a really clear point that I'm very conscious of the have to be accessible to the world. And likewise it is an important thing for Hong Kong to have the ability to resume normal journey with the mainland."

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

Lee additionally referred to as on residents to observe the advice and measures of the government, and stated the city will search to boost its vaccination fee. According to government statistics, greater than 91% of the population above the age of 12 have acquired their first vaccine dose as of Saturday, and 85.2% have acquired their second dose.

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

"I lengthen my sincere congratulations to Mr John Lee on his successful election," she said in a press launch. "The present-term authorities and I'll guarantee a seamless transition with the Chief Govt-elect. We'll render all of the support needed for the idea of workplace by the brand new term 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 model of the story misrepresented that figure.