He added that he had informed Beijing of its decision last March during China’s annual parliamentary session. Her term expires on June 30. “It will also mean that I am finishing 42 years of public service,” she said, adding that she has not decided on her future plans. Speculation has been swirling about whether Lam, who has the lowest public rating since Britain handed over Hong Kong back to China in 1997, would run again for the May 8 leadership race. Lam took office in 2017, promising to “repair” a divided society. But two years later, it became the focus of widespread anger and resentment as millions took to the streets to protest a controversial extradition bill with China. These protests soon represent greater public fears of growing Chinese influence and control in the semi-autonomous city. And although Lam eventually withdrew the bill months after the protests, it was too late to quell public anger, fueled by allegations of excessive police violence and calls for increased democracy. The advent of Covid-19 in early 2020, followed by the introduction of a national security law later that year, put an end to the protest movement. The law, issued by Beijing, went so far as to define Lam’s term, transforming the city’s social and political landscape. Under the law, pro-democracy activists and politicians have been arrested and many of Hong Kong’s largest unions, defense groups and media have been dismantled. And while Hong Kong was originally protected from the worst of the pandemic, thanks to tight border controls and restrictions on daily life, rapidly spreading new variants have plunged the city – and the Lam administration – into another crisis. time. The city’s per capita mortality rate is highest in Asia and Oceania every day since February 28, in part due to low vaccination rates among the elderly. Although the peak seems to have passed, with new cases declining day by day, the tide has rekindled anger at Lam and the government, who face charges of poorly preparedness during a two-year public health crisis. in the creation. With the CEO position now prevailing, local media have identified former police and chief secretary John Lee and CFO Paul Chan as potential contenders. The CEO will be selected by the Beijing-dominated Electoral Commission. Last year, Beijing introduced sweeping electoral reforms that gave local authorities more power to control candidates and ensure that only “patriots” were allowed to run. In June, a new oath of allegiance was introduced for all elected officials in Hong Kong – from local councilors to lawmakers – barring access to pro-democracy candidates’ public posts. Several Western countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have expressed concern about drastic changes in Hong Kong’s electoral system, with the State Department saying in a recent report that China has played “an unprecedented role in outcome of Hong Kong. elections.” The Hong Kong government responded to both countries on Friday, insisting that citizens’ rights and freedoms were “well protected”.
