HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong committee stacked with mostly pro-Beijing members has almost unanimously picked John Lee to become the city’s next leader. On July 1, the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s 1997 handover from Britain to China, Lee will take over as chief executive of the semi-autonomous territory. Outgoing leader Carrie Lam leaves after five tumultuous years that spanned pro-democracy protests in 2019, a subsequent crackdown that snuffed out virtually all dissent, and the coronavirus pandemic. Lee was a career police officer and the city’s security chief. His choice signals China’s central government in Beijing is looking for someone reliable to ensure that its authority in Hong Kong is never questioned again.
EXPLAINER: What comes next with John Lee leading Hong Kong?
