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WORLD NEWS Monday 27 March 2017

No surprise: Beijing’s pick Lam chosen as Hong Kong’s leader

KELVIN CHAN because she’s seen as a
Associated Press proxy for Beijing and out of
HONG KONG (AP) — The touch with ordinary peo-
candidate favored by ple. Tsang, in contrast, is
China’s Communist lead- highly popular because of
ership was chosen as Hong his easygoing persona and
Kong’s new leader on Sun- deft use of social media.
day, in the first such vote He was nicknamed “Prin-
since huge pro-democra- gles” or “Uncle Chips” in
cy protests erupted over Cantonese for his signature
the semiautonomous Chi- mustache that drew com-
nese city’s election system parisons to the snack food
in 2014. mascot.
A committee dominated Lam received 777 of the
by pro-Beijing elites se- 1,163 validly cast votes.
lected Carrie Lam, Hong Tsang got 365 votes, or 31
Kong’s former No. 2 official, percent, while the third
as the financial hub’s chief candidate, retired judge
executive even though Woo Kwok-hing, had 21
she was far less popu- votes.
lar than her main rival. As the next leader of the
Lam received 67 percent Asian financial center, Lam
of the votes cast by the Former Hong Kong Chief Secretary Carrie Lam, center, accompanied with her husband Lam Siu- will inherit a city roiled by
1,194-member committee. por, left, and son Jeremy Lam wave during a press conference after winning the chief executive political divisions, includ-
Her victory was hardly a election of Hong Kong, Sunday, March 26, 2017. A committee dominated by pro-Beijing elites ing a burgeoning inde-
chose Hong Kong’s next leader Sunday in the first vote since huge pro-democracy protests erupt-
surprise. China’s leaders ed over the election system in 2014. pendence movement,
had lobbied heavily be- (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) and saddled with sluggish
hind the scenes for the economic growth. Many
59-year-old Lam, who will registered voters. founded by the young civil disobedience protest” fear that Beijing is tight-
become Hong Kong’s first Democracy supporters pro-democracy protest when Lam is sworn in on ening control and under-
female leader and its fourth called Sunday’s vote a leader Joshua Wong, said July 1.Lam, a lifelong civil mining the “one country,
since British colonial control “fake election” and blast- in a Facebook post that servant, has a reputation as two systems” framework
ended in 1997. After the ed Beijing for meddling in “this result is a nightmare an efficient and pragmatic that guarantees Hong
votes were counted, she Hong Kong’s affairs. to Hong Kongers.” It said administrator, but is un- Kong a high degree of
bowed to the crowd and Political party Demosisto, it would organize “a large popular with Hong Kongers autonomy.q
shook hands with the sec-
ond-place finisher, former China’s Premier Li arrives in New Zealand for talks
Finance Secretary John
Tsang. NICK PERRY Prime Minister Bill English. the flags of both China and visiting Australia, where he
Some pro-democracy sup- Associated Press The premier stepped off his New Zealand. Unlike on warned against protection-
porters in the official seat- WELLINGTON, New Zealand plane, gave a quick wave some previous visits by Chi- ism and said China wanted
ing area yelled slogans (AP) — China’s premier toward media and then nese leaders, there weren’t to expand its trading rela-
and held up a yellow um- has arrived in New Zea- stepped into a waiting car. any visible protesters. tionship.New Zealand has
brella, the symbol of the land for high-level talks at His motorcade left for Pre- Li plans to be in the coun- also been pushing to ex-
2014 protests, as the results a time that both countries mier House where he was try until Wednesday. As pand free trade. Last week
were announced. The elite are pushing to expand free attending a dinner. well as a bilateral meeting English announced a goal
election committee was trade.Premier Li Keqiang As the motorcade left the with English, the premier is to have free trade agree-
at the root of the protests, arrived at Wellington Air- airport, the premier was planning to visit a factory ments cover 90 percent of
with activists decrying the port on Sunday, where he greeted by Chinese well- and view a photography exports by 2030, up from
lack of a direct choice by was greeted at the military wishers wearing red shirts exhibition.The premier trav- just over 50 percent at the
Hong Kong’s 3.8 million terminal by New Zealand and holding banners and eled to New Zealand after moment. q