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Hong Kong chief executive election 2022: No. 2 official John Lee formally resigns, paving way for bid as Beijing's preferred candidate


Hong Kong’s No. 2 official John Lee Ka Chiu has formally tendered his resignation, paving the way for a run in next month’s chief executive election as the sole candidate with the blessing of the central government.

In a statement issued at 3pm on Wednesday (April 6) afternoon, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet Ngor said she had received Chief Secretary Lee’s resignation and submitted it to the central government in accordance with the Basic Law.

“Lee will proceed on leave with immediate effect,” the statement said.

The outgoing chief secretary will meet the press at government headquarters at 5.30 pm on Wednesday.

His resignation came hours after officials from Beijing’s liaison office told a group of the city’s political elites that Lee would be the sole candidate endorsed by the central government in the leadership race, according to a source.

The source added that Lee would announce his candidacy soon after the central government approved his resignation.

Among those who attended the meetings with the liaison office were former chief secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen, who is now a member of the standing committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and Lo Man-tuen, a pro-Beijing heavyweight who wrote in a newspaper column on Wednesday that Hong Kong needed an “iron man” capable of standing up to the US and UK.

Meanwhile, speaking at a regularly scheduled epidemic press conference on Wednesday, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping Keung, who is tipped to be No 2 on Lee’s team, said he was focusing on his current job.

“I enjoy being [Secretary for Security] … and regarding what’s next, it’s not on my own agenda,” Tang said.

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Lee emerged as the clear favourite in this year’s leadership race after Lam announced on Monday morning that she would not seek a second term, citing family reasons.

Another pro-establishment insider said Lee went to Shenzhen on Friday, the same day, according to other insiders, that Lam travelled to the Guangdong provincial city to meet Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office director Xia Baolong.

One source said Lee had recently consulted several core members of the pro-Beijing bloc on the make-up of his governing team.

“Lee had ideas on the names … but Beijing has not given the green light to the list,” the person said.

Under the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, principal officials are nominated by the chief executive and appointed by the central government.

Hong Kong opened nominations for the May 8 election on Monday, and as of Wednesday, no political heavyweights had put their names forward.

Multiple sources had previously told the Post that Lee, 64, who led the Security Bureau for five years from 2017 before being promoted to chief secretary, was likely to throw his hat in the ring, with one insider suggesting Lee was well-equipped to take up the top job with his security background.

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On Jan 12, 2017, Carrie Lam resigned as chief secretary in order to run in the chief executive election. Her resignation was approved by the State Council four days later.

According to previous practice, the government will appoint a veteran bureau chief to serve as acting chief secretary.

In September 2011, then secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs Stephen Lam Sui Lung was appointed chief secretary after Henry Tang Ying Yen resigned to prepare his bid for the chief executive race the following year.

In January 2017, then secretary for labour and welfare Matthew Cheung Kin Chung was promoted as chief secretary after Lam’s resignation. Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam Sing, who has been a minister since 2012, is tipped to be the new chief secretary if Lee resigns.

Lee joined the police force as a probationary inspector at age 20 and went on to perform a wide range of duties. In 2012, he was appointed by then city leader Leung Chun Ying as undersecretary for security before being promoted to head of the Security Bureau in 2017.

He was promoted to chief secretary in June last year, three months after Carrie Lam said she informed Beijing she would not seek a second term.

This article was first published in South China Morning Post.



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