Jun Lee Ka-chiu, the former second-in-command in the outgoing Hong Kong government, ended his only armored race from Beijing by being elected governor, becoming the first person to hold the highest office in the former British colony after climbing all policemen since 1977. As the only candidate, he got Li received 1,416 votes for 1,461 members of the Election Commission, almost all of whom were pro-China, with only 8 against.

Known as a ‘security hawk’ as an ‘executioner’ willing to carry out what is asked of him, the 64-year-old owes the DFLP’s “systematic destruction” since his 2017 appointment as security minister. . He played a key role in promoting the 2019 extradition bill to China and coordinating the police response to the large-scale protests that followed. He has been a staunch supporter of Beijing’s June 2020 national security law: In a July 2021 post, Lee, who was promoted to chief secretariat for the outgoing Carrie Lam administration, hailed “an immediate end to chaos” and the restoration of order.

The crackdown on pro-democracy newspapers includes the fight against the Apple Daily, the tabloid of pro-democracy magnate Jimmy Lai that shuts down on June 24, 2021: According to some observers, it was a testament to its credibility in previous normalization plans. A colony promoted by the communist leadership and President Xi Jinping.

Lee will be sworn in as the sixth ruler, succeeding Lam, for a five-year term on July 1, the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s transition from Great Britain to China and halfway to the “one country, two systems” model implemented since 1997 that will expire in 2047, Even if he was upset.

Speaking in Cantonese and English after the win, Li said his new job will require accountability to Beijing and the city in accordance with the law, which is “a fundamental pillar of sound governance.” He promised to protect national security, work for greater integration with China and tackle various challenges such as the housing core, social inequalities and Covid, which fell by 4% of GDP in the first quarter, as well as brushing off a flick of Hong Kong’s allure. Financial and tourism center.

In the meantime, a very harsh reaction began from Brussels: “The European Union regrets this violation of democratic principles and political pluralism and considers this selection process another step towards dismantling the principle of“ one country, two systems ”, deploring the High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell.

On the contrary, appreciation came from Beijing for the “smooth” elections and the protests of the new leadership. The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the central government hailed the “new step in democratic development at the local level” and expressed confidence that the city could “reach new heights in the next five years.” He noted that Lee’s “large number of votes” equaled only 0.02% of the 7.4 million residents, but was enough to raise the banner of “Hong Kong-style democracy for the new era”.