John Lee, former security secretary and hardliner pro China from Hong Kongwas chosen on Sunday to be the city’s next leader by a committee packed with Chinese government loyalists.
Lee helped lead the city’s crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 2019.
- His victory is seen as a sign of the Chinese government’s tighter control over Hong Kong.
Lee was the only candidate in the election and won 1,416 votes in the election committee, while only eight voted against him.
- Almost all committee members are carefully scrutinized by the central government in Beijing. Lee will replace the current leader of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam1st of July.
Lee has already indicated that he will seek to introduce more national security legislation, previous iterations of which have led to the arrest of pro-democracy activists and politicians, and possibly a law against fake news.
“Having restored order from chaos, it is high time for Hong Kong to begin a new chapter of development, a chapter geared towards greater prosperity for all,” Lee said in his victory speech.
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