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City Beat
Hong KongPolitics
Tammy Tam
Tammy Tam

City Beat | Making everyone deal with a Hong Kong leader under US sanctions may well be part of Beijing’s game plan in picking John Lee

  • The takeaway here is that the change of Hong Kong’s leadership cannot be subject to direct or indirect factors concerning the US
  • Beijing may have also laid down a test for those who have to deal with Lee

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Beijing-backed John Lee is the only candidate for Hong Kong’s leadership election. Photo: Yik Yeung-man
Tammy Tam
Targeted or too vague? John Lee Ka-chiu, the sole candidate for Hong Kong’s top job, has finally unveiled his manifesto, vowing to lead the city into a new chapter after years of political and social turbulence.
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There has not been much excitement over this one-man election campaign so far, with perhaps the only dramatic turn being that of Google abruptly banning Lee’s YouTube channel, citing compliance with Washington’s sanctions against him.

Lee accused the US of “bullying” with its “blatant inference” in Hong Kong affairs, but brushed off any impact on his campaign. He is right in this regard – nothing will change the reality that he has Beijing’s blessing to take over as the city’s next chief executive.

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Hong Kong chief executive candidate John Lee announces manifesto

Hong Kong chief executive candidate John Lee announces manifesto

However, the episode has revealed an unspoken, inconvenient truth to foreign governments and international investors with strong Hong Kong connections – not necessarily all about legal risks, but practicality.

Under the city’s mini-constitution, the Basic Law, Beijing is responsible for Hong Kong’s foreign affairs. But the duties of the chief executive include meeting foreign envoys, reaching out to the international community to promote the city, and engaging with investors from overseas.

Ever since the return of Hong Kong’s sovereignty to China in 1997, all the city’s previous leaders, starting with Tung Chee-hwa, made it a must to visit the US, besides touring European, Asian and other countries. That was until incumbent Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was put on a sanctions list along with Lee and other officials two years ago by Washington, while international travel was also disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

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