Hong Kong’s Single-Candidate Election To Anoint Former Policeman As City’s New Leader

John Lee is due to be formally selected as Hong Kong’s new leader on Sunday in an election that features only one candidate. It’s the first election for the city’s top job since Beijing passed legislation last year that ensures only “patriots” govern Hong Kong.

Speaking at a campaign rally on Friday afternoon, Lee reiterated his campaign pledges to run a government that works hard and achieves results, upholds the constitutional order established under the city’s mini-constitution, safeguards clean governance and raises Hong Kong’s competitiveness. But critics say his platform lacks details and targets.

“People in Hong Kong struggle to understand what he stands for,” said Kenneth Chan, a former lawmaker and political scientist at Hong Kong Baptist University. “His campaign as THE ONLY candidate picked by Beijing has focused on softening his own image as a former cop and security bureau chief. The leopard cannot change his spots.”

Lee, 64, has kept his public appearances brief and tightly choreographed, and his statements have been vague and equivocal, said Chan, showing his lack of knowledge in many policy areas.

Lee’s selection as Hong Kong’s next leader became a mere formality after China’s Liaison Office told local politicians and business leaders in early April that he would be the only candidate for the job with the blessing of President Xi Jinping’s government, according to local media reports.

By mid-April, Lee had already managed to secure 786 nominations from the roughly 1,500 members that make up the election committee. Among his backers were some of city’s wealthiest tycoons, including CK Asset Holdings chairman Victor Li, the eldest son of Li Ka-shing, and Henderson Land co-chairman Martin Lee Ka-shing, the younger son of Lee Shau Kee.

“John comes in having the full trust of Beijing,” said businessman and lawmaker Michael Tien. “Of all the past chief executives, Beijing has known John longer than any of the others because it’s been a long period of working with Beijing on very sensitive issues.”

Tien is the founder of fashion retailer G2000 Group and a Hong Kong Deputy to the National People’s Congress. He believes that if Lee has “the courage and the willingness to reflect Hong Kong people’s opinions to Beijing, the chances of getting heard and gaining more room to move will be greater than what previous chief executives had.”

Lee will officially take over from Hong Kong’s current leader, Carrie Lam, on July 1, when Xi Jinping is expected to visit the city as part of celebrations marking 25 years of Chinese rule of the former British colony.

Lee’s ascension is seen by many as a clear indication that China’s leaders are prioritizing security and control over economic development. Lee’s 45-year career has been focused on security matters, excluding a brief nine-month spell as Hong Kong’s chief secretary.

He started as a policeman in 1977 at the age of 19 and progressed up the ranks to become deputy commissioner in 2010 and then undersecretary for security two years later. It was during his tenure as security chief from 2017 to 2021 that he gained a reputation as a hard-liner.

In 2019, he played a key role in pushing for a controversial extradition bill that sparked sometimes-violent protests across Hong Kong. Lee was also one of the 11 government officials sanctioned by the U.S. when Beijing imposed a national security law that has since been used to arrest scores of political activists, opposition lawmakers and journalists.

Lee has also said that he intends to enact long-shelved local legislation to protect against security threats. Known as Article 23 in the city’s mini-constitution, the bill was dropped in 2003 following mass protests.

He’ll be taking over from Carrie Lam whose tenure as the city’s leader has been marred by political unrest and strict pandemic policies that turned Hong Kong into one of the world’s most isolated cities.

Hong Kong’s borders have essentially been closed since 2020, as the city follows mainland China’s “dynamic zero” strategy that seeks to curb all outbreaks. The once-thriving financial center saw its economy shrink 4% in the first quarter from a year earlier, and the stock market has slumped 24% over the past 12 months.