Hong Kong’s subsequent Chief Govt will probably be Beijing loyalist John Lee

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

Paul Yeung | Bloomberg | Getty Photographs

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

Lee, the one candidate for Hong Kong's high put up, won 1,416 votes in Sunday's election.

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

The 64-year-old Lee, who was previously 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 area of China which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, after the U.Ok. handed over the former colony to Beijing. It is governed below the "one country, two programs" framework, and has restricted election rights and a mostly separate legal and economic system.

Hong Kong's electoral system went through a major overhaul final year after Beijing said that solely so-called "patriots" should be allowed to manipulate town.

At a press convention after his election, Lee was requested if his efficiency shall be "challenged by the shortage of electoral mandate and legitimacy within the eyes of some folks."

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

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

Pointing out that he garnered more than 1,400 votes, Lee said: "With that variety of support, after all, it encourages me and offers me the strong confidence that my direction is agreed and shared by loads of election committee members."

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

Bloomberg | Getty Photographs

In a note last week, analysts at Eurasia Group weighed in on Beijing's choice of Lee as the next Hong Kong leader.

"The choice of Lee, a profession police officer who played a leading position in the crackdown on the pro-democracy protests that began in 2019, signifies that Beijing's prime priority for Hong Kong is maintaining political safety moderately than preserving its role as a dynamic international hub," they said.

"Lee's appointment will reinforce Hong Kong's shift from being a global monetary and enterprise center to enjoying a narrower position as a capital gateway for China," Eurasia's analysts said. "Whereas the risks to political and financial stability are modest, Lee's administration may be poorly outfitted to reply to a major shock."

According to 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 attempt to blunt its spread. Town tightened restrictions further in February as new circumstances raged, but started easing slightly in late April.

The election was earlier postponed resulting from a surge in Covid circumstances in the Asian monetary hub.

I make it a really clear level that I'm very conscious of the must be accessible to the world. And also it is a crucial thing for Hong Kong to be able to resume normal travel with the mainland.

John Lee

Hong Kong's incoming chief government

On the press convention, Lee was also requested how he'll show the international group that Hong Kong is open for enterprise.

"Sure, we now have challenges now due to the necessity to control Covid-19 and a few of the measures are indeed creating inconvenience," he acknowledged.

"I make it a really clear level that I'm very aware of the have to be accessible to the world. And likewise it is a crucial thing for Hong Kong to have the ability to resume normal travel with the mainland."

He stated he can be speaking to his counterparts in Beijing "to seek out out what are the conditions that shall be required for normal journey to be resumed with the mainland."

Lee additionally called on citizens to follow the advice and measures of the federal government, and mentioned the town will search to boost its vaccination charge. In accordance with government statistics, greater than 91% of the inhabitants above the age of 12 have obtained their first vaccine dose as of Saturday, and 85.2% have received their second dose.

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

"I prolong my sincere congratulations to Mr John Lee on his profitable election," she said in a press release. "The present-term authorities and I will ensure a seamless transition with the Chief Govt-elect. We are going to render all of the assist needed for the assumption of office by the new time period of government."

Correction: This story has been up to date to mirror that John Lee gained 1,416 votes in Hong Kong's chief executive election. An earlier version of the story misrepresented that figure.