European Union Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said yesterday that the appointment of John Lee, who oversaw the suppression of the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, as the city’s chief executive represented “a violation of democratic principles and political pluralism.”
Borrell tweeted that the “selection process” for the former city security officer is “a new stage in the dismantling of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle,” stressing that “the authorities in China and Hong Kong must respect their national and international obligations.”
John Lee was appointed by the votes of the Beijing Loyalist Committee, and the 64-year-old former police officer is the only candidate to replace outgoing official Carrie Lam, who has decided not to run for another five-year term.
“I know it takes time to convince people, but I can do it,” he told reporters. He expressed his determination to build a city “full of hope, opportunity and harmony” after the authorities “restore order after chaos.”
