Hong Kong elected a brand new chief, John Lee, on Sunday.
Lee, 64, is about to exchange Carrie Lam as Hong Kong’s subsequent chief government on July 1.
Lee was the previous chief secretary of Hong Kong earlier than he introduced his bid to turn out to be the chief government of the Chinese language particular administrative area.
Lee was the one candidate within the operating since an election committee that voted for Lee was, in flip, elected by pro-Beijing figures from Hong Kong’s institution circle in September final yr.
A former deputy police commissioner till he was promoted to be chief secretary in 2021, Lee constructed up a repute for strict regulation and order.
Lee’s picture is that of a “powerful man and a regulation enforcer that will not wish to take heed to others’ views, be accommodating, or be measured,” Kenneth Chan, a political scientist at Hong Kong Baptist College, just lately advised DW.
However critics of Lee have pointed to his position within the authorities’s sweeping crackdown of protesters throughout the 2019 pro-democracy motion.
Lee, as a safety official then, oversaw 1000’s of arrests. On the time, the police had been additionally criticized for utilizing extreme pressure.
Professional-Beijing committee elects John Lee
Round 1,416 election committee members voted for Lee, whereas eight others voted towards him, in line with officers.
The remaining didn’t solid ballots.
“I declare that the one candidate Mr John Lee Ka-chiu is returned within the above talked about election, congratulations,” returning officer Justice Keith Yeung Kar-hung stated.
Hong Kong’s election committee consists of round 1,500 members and all members have been vetted by the Chinese language authorities.
Their election to the comittee in September 2021, which was additionally tightly managed by Beijing, was the primary one to happen within the new electoral system launched by the Chinese language authorities earlier at first of 2021.
rm/sms (Reuters, AFP, AP)