The former security chief who oversaw the crackdown on the pro-democracy movement of Hong Kong was appointed Sunday as the new town leader by a small committee of people loyal to Peking.
John Lee64, was the only candidate for succeed Carrie Lamthe outgoing chief executive of the city, an entrepreneurial hub.
His appointment marks the first time a security official has taken over the leadership of the Hong Kong government and comes after tumultuous years of crackdowns on the pro-democracy movement and pandemic controls.
“I understand that it will take me some time to convince the population. But I can do it through action,” Lee acknowledged to reporters on Sunday.
He said he wanted to build a Hong Kong “full of hope, opportunity and harmony” now that the authorities had “restored order after chaos”.
Lee got 1,416 votes from the 1,461-person committee, equivalent to 0.02% of the population of 7.4 million people. The remaining members did not cast votes.
The committee, made up of political and business elites loyal to Beijing, held the vote on Sunday morning.
democratic spirit
Beijing welcomed the near-unanimous result, saying it showed “Hong Kong society has a high level of recognition and approval” for Lee.
“This is a real demonstration of the democratic spirit“, the Hong Kong and Macau Business Office said in a statement.
The European Union, for its part, regrets “this violation of democratic principles and political pluralism and considers that this selection process is one more step in the dismantling of the principle of ‘one country, two systems,'” assured its head of diplomacy, Josep Borrell.
Protests have been banned in Hong Kong and authorities have used a health ban against gatherings of more than four people, as well as a new security law, to prevent them.
Local media reported that the police deployed between 6,000 and 7,000 agents to ensure safety during the process.
The League of Social Democrats, one of the few remaining pro-democracy groups, staged a three-person protest before the vote opened, chanting “power to the people, universal suffrage now.”
“We know that this action will have no effect, but we don’t want Hong Kong to go totally silent,” said protester Vanessa Chan, as police officers looked on.
security law
Under President Xi Jinping, China has sought to mold Hong Kong in its own authoritarian image, after the large and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests of 2019.
Beijing has imposed a sweeping security law aimed at stamping out dissent, along with a “patriots only” political system to ensure that only people loyal to China hold top public office.
Insiders say Lee’s unwavering commitment to that line enabled him to win China’s trust, at a time when other Hong Kong figures were seen as insufficiently loyal or competent.
“He is a man who has passed the testLai Tung-kwok, a former security minister, recently told AFP.
Lee, who spent 35 years in the Hong Kong police force before joining the government, inherits a troubled city.
The pro-democracy movement has been crushed by the security law, while much of the population resents Beijing’s rule and complains about entrenched inequality in the city.
Hong Kong is also facing economic difficulties from two years of tight pandemic restrictions that have left it isolated while the rest of the world reopens.
Under the slogan “Starting a new chapter for Hong Kong together,” Lee has promised a government focused on results, forging unity and restarting the local economy.
A 44-page manifesto released last week outlined some general goals with few concrete political goals.
Lee will take office on July 1, the 25th anniversary of Britain’s handover of Hong Kong to China.
China agreed to let Hong Kong retain some freedoms and autonomy for 50 years after the handover, under the “one country, two systems” principle.
Beijing and Lee say that this principle remains intact, although their critics and Western powers say that it has already been destroyed.
Lee is one of 11 senior Hong Kong and Beijing officials sanctioned by the United States for political repression.