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

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

Paul Yeung | Bloomberg | Getty Photos

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

Lee, the only candidate for Hong Kong's prime put up, received 1,416 votes in Sunday's election.

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

The 64-year-old Lee, who was formerly Hong Kong's chief secretary, will start 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 language rule in 1997, after the U.Ok. handed over the previous colony to Beijing. It's governed under the "one nation, two techniques" framework, and has restricted election rights and a largely separate legal and economic system.

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

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

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

"Anybody, who in accordance with the regulation is certified, can participate and run for the election," he added.

Pointing out that he garnered more than 1,400 votes, Lee said: "With that number of help, after all, it encourages me and provides me the sturdy confidence that my route is agreed and shared by a number 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 notice last week, analysts at Eurasia Group weighed in on Beijing's choice of Lee as the following Hong Kong chief.

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

"Lee's appointment will reinforce Hong Kong's shift from being a global monetary and enterprise heart to playing a narrower function as a capital gateway for China," Eurasia's analysts said. "Whereas the risks to political and monetary stability are modest, Lee's administration could also be poorly outfitted to reply to a significant shock."

In step with China's Covid-19 coverage, Hong Kong has a so-called "dynamic zero" strategy for the virus and imposed strict measures in January in an try to blunt its spread. The town tightened restrictions further in February as new instances raged, but began easing barely in late April.

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

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

John Lee

Hong Kong's incoming chief government

At the press convention, Lee was also asked how he will present the international neighborhood that Hong Kong is open for enterprise.

"Yes, we've challenges now because of the need to control Covid-19 and a few of the measures are certainly creating inconvenience," he acknowledged.

"I make it a really clear level that I am very acutely aware of the need to be accessible to the world. And likewise it is an important thing for Hong Kong to have the ability to resume regular journey with the mainland."

He said he can be talking to his counterparts in Beijing "to find out what are the conditions that can be required for normal journey to be resumed with the mainland."

Lee also called on residents to observe the recommendation and measures of the government, and mentioned town will search to spice up its vaccination charge. In accordance with government statistics, greater than 91% of the inhabitants above the age of 12 have received their first vaccine dose as of Saturday, and 85.2% have received their second dose.

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

"I extend my sincere congratulations to Mr John Lee on his profitable election," she stated in a press release. "The present-term authorities and I'll guarantee a seamless transition with the Chief Executive-elect. We will render all the support needed for the belief of workplace by the brand new time period of presidency."

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