John Lee, a tough former policeman, looks set to lead Hong Kong
It is easy to see why China’s Communist Party would like him
LESS THAN three years ago, news of her imminent departure would have been greeted with joy on the streets of Hong Kong. Carrie Lam, the territory’s leader (pictured, right), was reviled by the pro-democracy protesters whose demonstrations in 2019 snowballed into the biggest unrest of its kind in the territory’s history. But Mrs Lam’s announcement on April 4th that she would not seek another term in office—meaning she has less than three months to serve—stirred little cheer. The central government plans to replace her with a tough ex-policeman, John Lee (pictured, left). What the public thinks matters little.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “A new sheriff in town”
From the April 9th 2022 edition
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