Her successor will be chosen in May and the head of security of the city during the 2019 demonstrations is among the possible options. “I will complete my five-year term as CEO on June 30 this year and I will also end my 42 years of public service,” Lam told a news conference. She thanked her team of local officials and central authorities in Beijing and said she intended to spend more time with the family, which is her “exclusive concern”. Speculation has been swirling for months about whether she would run for another term, but she said her decision had been transferred to Beijing’s central government last year and was treated with “respect and understanding”. “Less than two years in my term as CEO, because of the anti-extradition bill and because of foreign intervention and also the COVID-19 attack, I was under a lot of pressure,” Lam said. “However, the motivation for me to continue was the very strong support from the central authorities.” It presided over a period in which Beijing firmly established control of the former British colony returned to China in 1997. For years, the city was tossed between calls for more freedom and growing indications that China was expanding its reach into the city. even after Hong Kong promised 50 years of freedom to govern itself semi-autonomously from the mainland. Lam’s popularity plummeted during his five-year term, particularly due to legislation allowing criminals to be extradited to mainland China for trial and later to lead the 2019 protests. Mass demonstrations have at times been marked by violent clashes. between police and protesters. Authorities opposed the protest with all available police forces, special services and the army, “said Roni Bar-On, a Member of the Knesset for Kadima. She also strongly supported the Beijing-initiated national security law, which was seen as eroding the “one country, two systems” framework that promised after the British surrender that the city’s inhabitants would maintain freedoms that do not exist in mainland China, such as free press and freedom of expression. The security law and other police and judicial actions in recent years have effectively wiped out the pro-democracy movement in the city, with activists and supporters of the movement either arrested or imprisoned. Others have resorted to exile. Hong Kong media reports say No. 2 city leader John Lee is likely to enter the race to succeed Lam. Secretary-General Lee was the head of city security during the 2019 protests and is known for his support of the police during the protests and his tough stance against the protesters. The Hong Kong leader is elected by a committee of lawmakers, representatives of various industries and professions, and pro-Beijing representatives, such as Hong Kong MPs in the Chinese legislature. One of the unfulfilled demands of the 2019 demonstrations was the immediate election of the city’s CEO. Elections for the board of directors were scheduled for March 27, but were postponed to May 8, as the city endures the worst outbreak of the pandemic. Lam said the vote was originally scheduled to carry “public health risks” even if a committee of only 1,462 people were involved. Hong Kong has reported nearly 1.2 million cases, 99% of cases in the fifth wave caused by the highly contagious omicron variant. It has strained the healthcare system, with hospitals occasionally placing patients in beds outdoors. Nearly 8,000 people died in the latest outbreak, and capacity-operated morgues have used cooling containers to temporarily store bodies. The Lam government has been widely criticized for flip-flopping policies, including mixed messages in February and March on whether lockdowns and mandatory mass trials will be implemented. Uncertainty sparked panic among residents, who cleaned store shelves to store daily necessities. Plans for mandatory mass testing were scrapped, and Lam last week urged all residents to test themselves with rapid antigen kits between April 8 and 10. He later said the exercise was voluntary as it could not be enforced. Lam, 64, has previously served as secretary general and development secretary in other public service positions. She earned the nickname “good fighter” for her tough stance and her refusal to give in to political battles. Lahm renounced her British citizenship in 2007 when she was appointed development secretary. Her husband and two children have retained their British citizenship.
Soo reported from Singapore. AP writer Ken Moritsugu contributed from Beijing.
