HONG KONG, May 8, 2022 (AFP) – A small panel of Beijing supporters will choose the former security chief who oversaw the crackdown on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement on Sunday as a new leader for the city.
John Lee, 64, is the only candidate to succeed Carrie Lam, chief executive of City, Business Center. It will be the first time a security official has taken the lead in the Hong Kong government, after years of turmoil in the crackdown on the pro-democracy movement and epidemic control.
The incumbent is chosen by an electoral commission of 1,463 people, equal to 0.02% of the population of 7.4 million. That committee, made up of pro-Beijing political and business elites, began voting on Sunday morning.
He needs me a simple majority to win. By not having opponents, your victory is guaranteed. According to local newspapers, the police mobilized between 6000 and 7000 agents to ensure the safety of the operation.
Under President Xi Jinping, China has sought to mold Hong Kong into its authoritarian image after large and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019. Beijing has imposed sweeping security law designed to root out dissent, along with a “patriots only” political system to ensure that people Only those loyal to China hold high-ranking public positions.
According to some sources, Lee’s firm adherence to this line allowed him to win the trust of China, at a time when other Hong Kong figures were not loyal or competent enough.
Lee, who spent 35 years in the Hong Kong police force before joining the government, inherits a city with many problems. The pro-democracy movement has been suppressed by the Security Act, while much of the population resents the Beijing government and complains about the city’s entrenched inequality.
Hong Kong is also facing economic difficulties due to two years of severe epidemic restrictions, which have left it isolated as the rest of the world reopens.
Under the motto of “Starting a New Chapter Together for Hong Kong”, Lee promised to form a results-oriented government, bring unity and revitalize the local economy. A 44-page statement presented last week outlined some general goals, with few concrete policy goals.
Li will take office on July 1, the 25th anniversary of the United Kingdom’s handover of Hong Kong to Chinese rule. He is one of 11 high-ranking officials from Hong Kong and Beijing who have been sanctioned by the United States for political repression.
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