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

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

Paul Yeung | Bloomberg | Getty Pictures

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

Lee, the only candidate for Hong Kong's top submit, gained 1,416 votes in Sunday's election.

About 1,500 members of a largely pro-Beijing election committee forged their votes to select the new leader. Lee solely wanted a simple majority to win.

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

Hong Kong is a particular administrative area of China which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, after the U.Okay. handed over the previous colony to Beijing. It is ruled beneath the "one nation, two systems" framework, and has limited election rights and a largely separate legal and economic system.

Hong Kong's electoral system went by means of a serious overhaul last 12 months after Beijing mentioned that only so-called "patriots" ought to be allowed to govern the town.

At a press convention after his election, Lee was asked if his performance will 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 legal guidelines of Hong Kong."

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

Pointing out that he garnered more than 1,400 votes, Lee mentioned: "With that variety of help, of course, it encourages me and offers me the robust confidence that my course is agreed and shared by plenty of election committee members."

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

Bloomberg | Getty Pictures

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

"The selection of Lee, a profession police officer who played a leading role within the crackdown on the pro-democracy protests that began in 2019, indicates that Beijing's high precedence for Hong Kong is maintaining political security quite 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 enterprise heart to playing a narrower role as a capital gateway for China," Eurasia's analysts stated. "While the risks to political and monetary stability are modest, Lee's administration could also be poorly geared up to reply to a significant shock."

In keeping 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 unfold. 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 instances in the Asian financial hub.

I make it a very clear point that I'm very conscious of the have to be accessible to the world. And also it is an important 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 will present the worldwide community that Hong Kong is open for business.

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

"I make it a very clear level that I am very acutely aware of the should be accessible to the world. And likewise it is a vital factor for Hong Kong to be able to resume regular journey with the mainland."

He said he shall be speaking to his counterparts in Beijing "to find out what are the situations that will be required for regular journey to be resumed with the mainland."

Lee also referred to as on residents to comply with the advice and measures of the federal government, and stated town will seek to boost its vaccination charge. In line with authorities statistics, more than 91% of the population above the age of 12 have obtained their first vaccine dose as of Saturday, and 85.2% have obtained their second dose.

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

"I prolong my honest congratulations to Mr John Lee on his profitable election," she said in a press launch. "The present-term government and I will guarantee a seamless transition with the Chief Government-elect. We'll render all of the help needed for the idea of workplace by the new term of government."

Correction: This story has been updated to replicate that John Lee won 1,416 votes in Hong Kong's chief government election. An earlier model of the story misrepresented that determine.