Hong Kong's former security chief John Lee sworn in as city's new leader

HONG KONG: Hong Kong's former security chief John Lee, 64, was sworn in as the city's new chief executive on Friday (Jul 1).

Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over the inauguration of the new leader, a former Hong Kong security chief who oversaw the police response to Hong Kong's huge democracy protests in 2019.

In his speech on Friday, Lee said that the rule of law is a fundamental value for Hong Kong. He also said that the national security law has brought stability to Hong Kong after anti-government protests in 2019.

Lee was the only candidate in a Beijing-backed one-horse race to succeed outgoing leader Carrie Lam.

His elevation places a security official in the top job for the first time after a tumultuous few years for a city battered by political unrest and debilitating pandemic controls.

Lee's appointment has sparked concern that Beijing could further tighten its grip on Hong Kong.

He spent most of his civil service career in the police and security bureau, and is an outspoken and staunch supporter of a national security law imposed on Hong Kong in 2020 aimed at stamping out dissent.

In his speech on Friday, Xi said that Hong Kong's "true democracy" started after the city's handover to China from colonial Britain 25 years ago.

"After reuniting with the motherland, Hong Kong's people became the masters of their own city," Xi said. "Hong Kong's true democracy started from here."

He said that China has acted "for the good of Hong Kong" and that the central government will help to maintain and support a free and open business environment for Hong Kong.

He said that there is no reason to change the One Country, Two Systems style of governance, and that it will continue.

The model is "such a good system, has no reason at all to change, and it must be upheld in the long run," Xi said.