John Lee, Hong Kong

2022 - 5 - 8

Post cover — Image courtesy of "Financial Times"

John Lee confirmed as Hong Kong's next leader after facing no ... (Financial Times)

Critics say uncontested election won by Beijing-backed former security minister was a 'facade'

Hong Kong Chief Executive-elect John Lee ushers in a new era of ... (Vox)

As the sole Beijing-approved candidate to replace Lam, Lee's victory was all but assured as soon as he announced his candidacy. While Hong Kong doesn't have ...

Rather, the valuable expertise he brings to the job is his loyalty to Beijing, Kenneth Chan Ka-lok, formerly a pro-democracy lawmaker and associate professor at Hong Kong Baptist University, told the Washington Post in April, after Lee announced his candidacy. He doesn’t have links to business,” Tara Joseph, the former president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, told Al Jazeera. “He has links to the security apparatus.” It could potentially raise complications as Lee tries to salvage Hong Kong’s economy after the Covid-19 pandemic and the National Security Law pushed foreigners and international firms out of the city, though. It also points to the erosion of the civil service in Hong Kong. Lee’s not part of the civil service and political class, or a business leader, as past chief executives have been. Hong Kong has occupied a middle place over the past 25 years, with a degree of social and political autonomy far exceeding that of mainland China — encompassed in the “one party, two systems” philosophy that has governed Hong Kong since 1997. Lee defended the use of force and the response to the protest, including the National Security Law, saying it had helped “ restore stability from chaos.” The government in mainland China also instituted several reforms to Hong Kong’s governing structure, which helped solidify China’s control over the city, as Michael Martin of the Center for Strategic and International Studies outlined in a February report. But the uncontested run of the former security chief is almost too on-the-nose after pro-democracy activism and calls for Hong Kong independence threatened China’s grip on the city. He’ll be the first chief executive from the police force in the 25 years since its handover to China, and will take office on July 1, the anniversary of that day. Lee, now poised to take over as Hong Kong’s chief executive, was until April 7 the chair of the CERC. Lee’s tenure will likely bring more of the same: a former deputy chief of Hong Kong’s police force, he was instrumental in the brutal crackdowns on pro-democracy activists. Protests about changes to extradition laws, which would allow Hong Kong residents accused of crimes could be extradited to mainland China for trial, erupted across the region amid demands for strengthened democratic institutions.

Who is John Lee, Hong Kong's new chief executive? (Quartz)

John Lee, a career police official turned security bureaucrat, is Hong Kong's new chief executive. Lee won an election in which he was the only candidate ...

Just as crucial a factor is China’s rising control over Hong Kong—control that Lee helped to implement, and that he will now be able to extend as the new chief executive. He will inherit a Hong Kong that has been forced into submission not only by Chinese authority but also by the pandemic. In 2020, the US Treasury Department sanctioned Lam and 10 others for “undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy.” On the sanctions list was Lee, who was the secretary for security at the time.

Hong Kong's former security chief John Lee wins leadership race (Kyodo News Plus)

John Lee, the Hong Kong government's former No. 2, is selected as the city's next chief executive in an uncontested election, becoming the first person to ...

"Lee comes from a security background, so I think he will be tougher, unlike Carrie Lam, who was more laid-back," a housewife in her 60's said. "It doesn't matter to me at all who joins the election or becomes the chief executive," a 32-year-old office worker said. There have been raids on several pro-democracy newspapers, including Apple Daily, which was forced to fold on June 24, 2021. The appointment of Lee is likely to lead to a further tightening of the government's grip on the city as he pledged last month to enact a previously shelved bill on treason and theft of state secrets that the national security law has not criminalized. The total valid vote count was 1,424. During his tenure as the security chief, the Hong Kong government implemented the national security law to crack down on dissent in the city following the 2019 protests.

China appoints new Hong Kong leader: Who is John Lee? (WION)

Chinese officials on Sunday appointed John Lee, 64, as the new chief of Hong Kong in place of outgoing leader Carrie Lam. Lee was the only candidate in the ...

Hong Kong's new leader received backing from election committee members who were primarily in favour of pro-China policies. The new Hong Kong chief is married with two sons. Lee is Hong Kong's former deputy commissioner of police and security chief.

Hong Kong's John Lee to look beyond 'usual suspects' to select ... (South China Morning Post)

Pro-Beijing parties offer names, some of Lee's campaign team members tipped for cabinet posts.