John Lee makes 7 visits to top Hong Kong and mainland Chinese officials on first day after winning leadership race
- Lee meets outgoing leader Carrie Lam, chief justice and Legco president, as well as heads of liaison office, national security office and foreign ministry office
- One focus of his talks with Lam was restructuring government, but Lee indicates he might make changes to the plan
Lee met outgoing leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the chief justice and the Legislative Council president, as well as the heads of Beijing’s liaison office, national security office, foreign ministry office and the Chinese army’s garrison in the city. Lam by comparison met six of these officials over a three-day period after winning in 2017.
His first stop was the Chief Executive’s Office at Tamar, where Lam and her former No 2 set out goals for ensuring a smooth transition of power, including overhauling government bureaus and departments to improve efficiency and better address the needs of residents.
“I am grateful to the chief executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, for meeting me today … The discussion was useful to ensure a smooth transition to the new term of government and we are working on a very tight schedule of some seven weeks from now to July 1,” he said after Lam delivered a 10-minute speech.
The former police officer turned top bureaucrat also noted they discussed key tasks to be accomplished in coming weeks.
“[This includes] the proposed government reorganisation package, the latest situation of Hong Kong’s work in fighting the coronavirus epidemic as well as activities celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR,” he said.
Lam proposed in January, among other changes, that the next administration should have a policy bureau on culture, sports and tourism. She also said the Transport and Housing Bureau should be split into two to focus on the respective policy areas, while a Home Affairs and Youth Bureau should replace the Home Affairs Bureau.
But Lee indicated he might not fully accept what Lam had in mind and that he could alter the restructuring plan before submitting it to the Legislative Council for approval.
“We exchanged views on certain details in the package, and I thank the chief executive for sharing her views. I shall reflect on those views,” he said, adding that colleagues in his office would follow up on the plan.
In an afternoon meeting, liaison office director Luo Huining offered full support to the city’s leader in administering Hong Kong in accordance with the law.
“The liaison office will continue to implement Beijing’s comprehensive jurisdiction over Hong Kong and firmly defend the nation’s sovereignty, security and development interest,” Luo said.
“As long as the Hong Kong government and various sectors can seize the historic opportunities and give full play to the city’s strengths, Hong Kong will surely achieve more and create new glory.”
04:05
Hong Kong’s Election Committee picks John Lee as city’s next chief executive in one-man race
At an earlier media briefing after his schedule was announced, Lee brushed aside questions on whether his visit later in the day to the liaison office was to thank its officials for helping him canvas votes, insisting he had won the election through his own efforts.
“A lot of you were with me when I went to meet people, went to districts meeting kaifongs [residents] or conducted face-to-face or online meetings,” he said. “I made efforts for the whole month of the election campaign to try to explain and win the support of the people I met.”
He added: “It was my personal efforts. Of course, I am thankful for the opportunity the public has given me. I am, of course, very grateful to members of the Election Committee who voted for me after hearing what my intentions and purposes would be.”
In a separate meeting, Zheng Yanxiong, head of Beijing’s national security office in the city, congratulated Lee, saying his agency would work with the incoming administration in safeguarding Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.
He also expressed confidence that Lee would lead the city in “writing a new chapter” in the implementation of “one country, two systems”, the principle under which Hong Kong is governed.
Lee, 64, also met Liu Guangyuan, commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry’s office in Hong Kong, who said his office would work with the new administration in the “unyielding struggle against all external intervening forces”.
He added: “The commissioner’s office will give full play to its diplomatic strengths, serve the needs of the city, and … tell the story of Hong Kong’s ‘one country, two systems’ in the international arena.”
Lee also revealed that in his meeting with Chief Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung he said the judge enjoyed the government’s absolute support in upholding the rule of law and judicial independence, adding his administration would help provide the judiciary with the resources it needed.
During a separate conversation with Legco president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, the chief executive-elect discussed his hopes of improving communication and cooperation between government officials and lawmakers during policy formulation and implementation.
Leung reaffirmed that he and Lee had discussed ways to further improve the relationship between the executive and legislative branches of government.
“We hope the new cabinet will not only stay in their offices to read documents,” he said. “They must visit different communities to stay in touch with the people’s pulse.”
Leung also said there should be no problem with Legco quickly approving plans to restructure the government, since it was a series of proposed changes raised by Lam, which legislators had already discussed.
“We need to wait for the chief executive-elect to decide which proposals to accept … With our high efficiency, there should be no difficulty with approving it. We just need to see when the government will submit the [finalised] papers.”
In 2017, then chief executive-elect Lam made courtesy calls to three of Beijing’s agencies three days after being voted into her new job.
Leung’s gesture was seen as significant because the two previous leaders, Tung Chee-hwa and Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, were not reported to have called on the liaison office so soon after being elected.
05:18
Hong Kong chief executive candidate John Lee announces manifesto
Lee was elected on Sunday after securing 99.2 per cent of 1,428 valid ballots cast in a small-circle poll, the highest level of support achieved yet in local leadership election.
Lam on Monday congratulated her former subordinate – Lee was her security minister and then chief secretary – on his win.
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome Mr John Lee back to the Tamar government offices … During our brief meeting this morning, I extended to John my warmest congratulations for his election as our next chief executive,” said Lam, who last month revealed she would not run for a second term.
Lam added she was delighted to see the election run smoothly, as it was the final event in “the first round of three elections” under Beijing’s electoral overhaul.
“As we all know, there was a severe backdrop [of the 2019 social unrest] … I am grateful to the central authorities for taking very timely measures to help Hong Kong restore stability,” she said, pointing to the implementation of the national security law in 2020 and the electoral overhaul the following year.
