Beijing’s pick chosen as Hong Kong leader amid protests

“This is the worst scheme for us, the worst news for us today in Hong Kong”. Lam’s supporters raised Chinese flags and cheered when they heard the vote’s results. “I think she will betray Hong Kong people and sell Hong Kong people, sell Hong Kong people’s land, sell Hong Kong people’s benefits to the Chinese communist government”, Tam told VOA.

The same banner was also flown from a hillside near Lion Rock last May, when Chinese state leader Zhang Dejiang visited Hong Kong. “She has to take the lead to go out there to engage Hong Kongers”, said Ms Emily Lau, former chairman of the Democratic Party. The South China Morning Post reported on Sunday that Mr Tsang received 300 votes from a block of pro-democracy committee members.

Beijing championed Lam over her two opponents, former Hong Kong financial chief John Tsang and Woo Kwok-hing, a retired judge, rallying support for her among the election committee’s pro-Beijing faction, which makes up about two-thirds of the voting body.

Annual growth rates for Hong Kong’s $264 billion economy have steadily declined over the past two decades.

Those who have worked with her say she is intelligent, hard-working and able to push controversial government policies, earning her the trust of Beijing factions who strongly lobbied for votes on her behalf.

Hong Kong has enjoyed a special status since its return to China in 1997.

The election system has generated controversy since before the United Kingdom surrendered control in 1997, and was at the center of a decision by student groups to occupy large swaths of the city two years ago.

One protest, organized by the Civil Human Rights Front, was billed as an act of civil disobedience after it deliberately ignored police warnings to apply for permission to march beforehand.

Months of protests did not secure any concession from Beijing, which doubled down instead.

However, the vast majority of Hong Kong’s 3.8 million voters do not participate in the selection of the chief executive and Lam is widely expected to win thanks to support from pro-China members of the election committee.

The central government’s hardline stance continues to divide the city.

After spells dealing with housing and social welfare, she served as the city’s secretary for development before moving into Hong Kong’s number two role, chief secretary, in 2012.

“This small-circle election should be completely reworked”, said Fung Wai-wah, president of Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union, calling the results disappointing.

But activists said he was still on the side of Beijing rejected the vote outright. Beijing ruled that Hong Kong legislators must swear allegiance to the region as part of China.

Wong’s political group Demosisto said it planned to organize a “large civil disobedience protest” during Lam’s inauguration on July 1, the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover.

Beijing is becoming bolder about interfering in Hong Kong affairs, experts said.

Hong Kong’s proximity to China has been a boon for the city, bringing in Chinese investment and spending.

“Hong Kong, our home, is suffering from quite a lot of divisiveness”, Lam said in a speech after the vote.

Veteran democracy activists stressed that it’s not really about who won the chief executive race. Her seemingly out-of-touch personality has dismayed supporters, after such incidents as a clumsy search for toilet paper and her apparent inability to use a transit card. “People are persistent, and they will fight for a better society”.