Hong Kong Chief Executive Nominations Close
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam will step down from her post today without taking on a second term. Nominations for her position are scheduled to conclude today after the submission period commenced on April 3.
The new Hong Kong Chief Executive is scheduled to be elected by a selection committee of 1,500 who are notably almost all pro-Beijing. John Lee, who pioneered Carrie Lam’s National Security Law and was one of the leading officials during the 2019 protests, is the likely nominee. Lee’s professional track record primarily focused on security and dissident control, a clear signposting toward Beijing’s power over Hong Kong’s democracy.
Expect John Lee’s selection as Chief Executive to echo Carrie Lam’s legacy when the polls open on May 8. Hong Kong’s expenditure concerning the police force is set to rise and, given Lee’s history, expect his leadership to advocate for a tightened control in the immediate socio-political environment. As a niche economic territory, Beijing’s rationale to control Hong Kong’s democracy is expected to persist and mature, even with a newly appointed Chief Executive. Thus, expect Lee to focus on the management of HK citizens’ “seditious” behaviors before planning a post-Covid economic recovery.
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