HONG KONG (AP) – Hong Kong leader Kerry Lam said Monday he will not seek a second term after a difficult five -year period of massive protests calling for his resignation, a security crackdown that has stopped indefinitely. according to and the recent wave of COVID-19. It bypasses the health care system.
His successor will be elected in May and the city’s security chief is among possible choices during the 2019 protests.
“On June 30 of this year, I will complete my five -year term as CEO and will also complete my 42 years of public service,” Lam said at a news conference. He thanked a group of local officials and the central government in Beijing for saying he would spend more time with his family, which was his “only discussion”.
For months now speculation has been swirling about a request for another mandate, but he said his decision was handed over to the central government in Beijing last year and greeted with “respect and understanding”.
“In less than two years of my executive term, I have been under a lot of pressure because of the anti-extradition bill and the intervention of foreign forces, as well as the attack on COVID-19,” Lam said. “However, the motivation for my continuation is the strong support of the central government behind me.”
He led a period in which Beijing firmly established control of the former British colony, which returned to China in 1997. Over the years, the city fluctuated between requests for more freedom and to growing Chinese brand to spread in his city. Even after Hong Kong was promised 50 years of freedom to drive semi-autonomously from the mainland.
Lama’s popularity plummeted during his five -year term, mostly because of legislation that would allow the extradition of criminal suspects to mainland China and later because of his leadership during protests in 2019. once marked by violent clashes between police and demonstrators. Authorities opposed the protest with all available police force, special services and army, ”said Roni Bar-On, a member of the Kadima Knesset.
He also strongly supported the Beijing-initiated National Security Act implemented by his government, which was seen as the breakdown of the “one country, two systems” framework that promised after the British surrendered that city residents would retain their unlikely that freedom. in China. Such as free press and freedom of expression.
Security law and other police and court actions in recent years have virtually destroyed the city’s pro-democracy movement, arresting or detaining activists and supporters of the movement. Others fled into exile.
Hong Kong media said the city’s second leader, John Lee, is likely to join the fight for Lama’s legacy. Secretary General Lee served as the city’s security chief during the 2019 protests and is known for his support to the police force during the protests and for his tough stance against the protesters.
The Hong Kong leader is elected by a committee composed of legislators, representatives of various industries and professions and pro-Beijing representatives, such as Hong Kong parliamentarians in China’s legislature. One of the unsatisfied demands of the protests in 2019 was the direct election of the city’s executive director.
The election of the chief executive officer was scheduled for March 27, but was postponed to May 8 because the city has endured the worst outbreak of the pandemic corovirus.
Lam said holding the election according to the original plan would involve “public health risks”, even though the committee consisted of only 1,462 people.
Nearly 1.2 million cases have been reported in Hong Kong, with 99% of the fifth wave being caused by the highly contagious omicron variant. This complicates the health care system, with hospitals sometimes throwing patients out of bed. Nearly 8,000 people died from the latest outbreak, while power-hungry people used refrigerated containers to temporarily store corpses.
The Lama government has been widely criticized for the collapse of its policies, including mixed announcements in February and March that a shutdown would take place and a mandatory mass review would be carried out. The uncertainty caused confusion among residents who cleaned store shelves to collect daily necessities.
Mandatory mass testing plans were scrapped, and last week Lam invited all residents to test themselves using a rapid antigen kit from April 8-10. Later, he said the exercise was voluntary because it was impossible to perform.
Lam, 64, previously held the position of general secretary and development and other public service positions. He earned the nickname “Good Fighter” for his tough stance and refusal to back down from political battles.
Lahm renounced his British citizenship in 2007 when he was appointed Minister of Development. His wife and two children retained their British nationality.
So reported from Singapore. AP writer Ken Moritzugu contributed from Beijing.
Source: Huffpost
