Hong Kong's Ex-Security Chief & Beijing Loyalist John Lee Elected as New Leader

Lee contested the election unchallenged and was elected with 99% votes by a closed-circle committee with nearly 1,500 members, a majority of whom are Beijing loyalists.

(Photo Courtesy: John Lee campaign)

John Lee, 64, Hong Kong's ex-security chief and a staunch Beijing loyalist, was elected as Hong Kong's new chief executive leader by the city's election committee on Sunday.

This has been touted as a move by China, which allegedly doesn't want to leave any space for the opposition in the city.

Lee contested the election unchallenged and was elected with 99% votes by a closed-circle committee with nearly 1,500 members, a majority of whom are Beijing loyalists.

The election committee constitutes lawmakers, and pro-Beijing representatives such as Hong Kong deputies to China, representatives of various industries and professions.

Lee has been a strong supporter of Beijing and has aided the government in crushing all political opposition in the city.

Lee plans to push a set of laws, known as Article 23 of the Hong Kong constitution. This constitutes laws on treason, secession, sedition, and subversion. The government has been trying to push these since 2003 but has failed time and again.

Lee had also overseen crackdowns on democratic protesters in 2019, who were protesting against a controversial extradition bill. He had also sanctioned the use of water cannons, rubber bullets, tear gas, and occasionally live ammunition by the police to diffuse the protests.

Lee will be replacing Carrie Lam on July 1, who held the office before him. Lam had declared in April this year that she would not be seeking a second term as the leader of the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

"I will complete my five-year term as chief executive on the 30th of June this year, and I will also call an end to my 42 years of public service," Lam said as quoted by AP.

Lam had seen massive protests against her government in 2019, with many calling for her resignation. Following the protests, Lam's government had overseen the implementation of a contentious national security law to curb dissent.

Lee's stand has always been that these measures are to keep things stable and to prevent them from falling into chaos.

Given Lee's political history, backing, and intentions it is feared that his leadership will further embolden the Chinese hold over Hong Kong.

(With Inputs from AP.)