Former security chief John Lee chosen by Beijing to lead the region

Former security chief John Lee chosen by Beijing to lead the region

The former police officer was the only candidate for the post of chief executive of the former British colony. He was appointed by a committee of acquired personalities in Beijing.

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a former police officer at the head of Hong Kong. Former British colonial security chief John Lee is set to lead the city. His crucial role in suppressing the pro-democracy movement has made the former street policeman a safe figure for Beijing. John Lee, 64, the lone candidate for the post of Hong Kong’s chief executive, was nominated on Sunday with 1,416 votes by a committee of 1,461 personalities received in Beijing.

The former police officer will begin his five-year term on July 1, the 25th anniversary of Britain’s return to Hong Kong in China. He will be Hong Kong’s first leader of the working class security forces to begin his career down the ladder as a simple uniformed policeman.

John Lee was Hong Kong’s security chief at the time of massive pro-democracy protests in 2019. In this way, he oversaw the crackdown on the protest and the serious political takeover that followed. This earned him to be included in the list of Chinese and Hong Kong personalities sanctioned by the United States. But it also allowed him to gain Beijing’s trust.

“John Lee is the one the central government knows best, as it has had constant contacts and contacts with mainland China”, explains businessman Michael Tien to AFP, a pro-Beijing member of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council. The arrival of John Lee marks a break with the four CEOs who have all since returned to Chinese rule in Hong Kong in 1997 from the business world or administration.

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