Hong Kong’s leader dodges questions on potential second term

[HONG KONG] Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee remained non-committal about seeking a second term, deflecting questions regarding his political future ahead of the city’s leadership selection next year.

Speaking in an interview with the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Lee said “a year is a long time in politics” when asked if he would seek to extend his tenure. “I don’t think I should consider this question now,” he said.

Lee will finish his current term at the end of next June. The election typically takes place in March, with the nomination process starting about a month earlier. A group of 1,500 electors dominated by Beijing loyalists will pick the winner.

The leader of the semi-autonomous Chinese territory emphasised policy continuity through Hong Kong’s upcoming inaugural five-year plan. A two-month public consultation on the roadmap began on Monday (Jun 15), in an exercise aimed at gathering resident feedback to better align the city’s economic, technological and social policies with national development.

Lee struck a positive tone on the financial hub’s economy and vowed “further reforms”, the newspaper said.

Hong Kong’s gross domestic product expanded at its fastest pace in almost five years in the first quarter this year despite a global energy crisis unleashed by the war in Iran. Similar to other economies in Asia, the city is riding a wave of global demand for artificial intelligence as it also benefits from an uptick in both consumption and investment.

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Lee acknowledged deep structural challenges, however, including a low fertility rate. The government will consult widely before deciding whether to extend a HK$20,000 (S$3,271) newborn bonus expiring in October, he told the SCMP.

Looking back after his four years in office, the former security chief lauded his administration’s ability to tackle long-standing problems, pointing to the enactment of a local national security law. He also highlighted his government’s work on regulating ride-hailing and subdivided flats, and slashing public housing wait times.

“The road to further reforms and making changes to long-standing problems still has a lot of challenges and tasks ahead,” he said. “We will continue to work hard.” BLOOMBERG