Hong Kong’s elite join leadership candidate’s campaign as Beijing watches

Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing, chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings, meets journalists as he formally retires right after the company’s Annual Common Meeting in Hong Kong, China May possibly 10, 2018. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

HONG KONG, April 20 (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s sole management prospect John Lee has picked almost 150 heavyweights, like the city’s richest male Li Ka-shing and other impressive businessmen and politicians, to be a part of his advisory groups to show wide assist for his bid.

Lee, the former No.2 official of the Asian monetary hub, is set to exchange Chief Executive Carrie Lam on July 1 with backing from Beijing.

“The users have rich working experience and contribution to the modern society…they will be useful to the system drafting and other perform in the future,” Lee’s marketing campaign office director Tam Yiu-chung informed reporters on Wednesday.

Lee is predicted to announce his system afterwards this month, media reports mentioned, forward of the election on Could 8.

Considering that Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997, there have been four chief executives, all of whom have struggled to equilibrium the democratic aspirations of some people with the vision of China’s Communist leaders.

All of the city’s leaders have been backed by Beijing and decided on by an “election committee” stacked with Beijing loyalists.

Among Lee’s 58-member campaign advisory workforce are the city’s largest house tycoons, like CK Asset’s (1113.HK) Li Ka-shing, Henderson Land Development’s (0012.HK) Lee Shau Kee, Sunshine Hung Kai Properties’ (0016.HK) Raymond Kwok and New World Development’s (0017.HK) Henry Cheng.

Other advisers contain former Planet Overall health Organization director typical Margaret Chan, chairman of energy enterprise CLP Holdings (0002.HK) Michael Kadoorie, and on line casino magnate Lui Che-woo.

Aside from the advisory group that serves a honorary role, there is also a 90-member presidium that Lee is consulting to draft his system.

The presidium features former Hong Kong chief secretary and a standing committee member of China’s top advisory system the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Meeting, Henry Tang, enterprise magnate Allan Zeman, former director of Community Prosecutions Grenville Cross, previous chief executive of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) (0388.HK) Charles Li, as well as motion picture star Jackie Chan.

Lee has secured 786 nominations from the 1,500 users of the election committee in charge of selecting Hong Kong’s new chief, larger than the 188 nominations essential to run.

A previous career police officer, Lee is extensively predicted to prioritise stability challenges if he receives the best career, obtaining previously urged new laws to fully put into action a sweeping nationwide protection legislation Beijing imposed on the town in 2020.

Lee mentioned he will be the conductor to “a new symphony” early this thirty day period when he announced his candidacy. He reported loyalty to China’s central govt was a precedence for any main govt and part of his system will include things like accelerating strategies to resolve the city’s long-term housing scarcity. go through a lot more

Reporting by Clare Jim Modifying by Kim Coghill

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Have faith in Ideas.