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Hong Kong chief Carrie Lam, who survived large protests in opposition to her authorities in 2019 and oversaw the implementation of a tricky nationwide safety regulation that quashed dissent, mentioned Monday she is not going to search a second time period.
Her successor can be picked in Could.
“I’ll full my 5 12 months time period as chief govt on the thirtieth of June this 12 months, and I may even name an finish to my 42 years of public service,” Lam mentioned at a information convention.
Hypothesis had swirled for months about whether or not she would search one other time period, however she mentioned that her determination had been conveyed to the central authorities in Beijing final 12 months and was met with “respect and understanding.”
Large protests in opposition to the territory’s authorities rocked Hong Kong in 2019 together with requires Lam to step down. Beijing responded in 2020 with a tricky nationwide safety regulation that has stifled dissent within the semiautonomous Chinese language metropolis.
Hong Kong media say that her No. 2 John Lee is prone to enter the race to succeed her. Chief Secretary Lee was town’s head of safety throughout the protests.
Hong Kong’s chief is elected by a committee made up of lawmakers, representatives of assorted industries and professions, and pro-Beijing representatives similar to Hong Kong deputies to the China’s legislature. One of many unfulfilled calls for of the 2019 protests was direct election of town’s chief govt.
Town was initially slated to carry the chief govt election on March 27 however the ballot had been postponed for six weeks till Could 8 in gentle of town’s worst coronavirus outbreak.
Lam mentioned that holding the polls as initially scheduled would pose “public well being dangers” even when a committee of just one,462 individuals is concerned.
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