John Lee waves to people after winning the election of the sixth-term chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on May 8, 2022. Photo: cnsphoto

The State Council, China's cabinet, decided Friday to appoint John Lee Ka-chiu as the sixth-term chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), and Lee will assume office on July 1.

Premier Li Keqiang presided over the meeting and signed a State Council decree on the appointment.

Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China's State Council, said at the meeting that the chief executive election embodied the principles of openness, fairness and justice, and Lee was elected by an overwhelming vote, reflecting the common aspiration of all sectors of the Hong Kong community to unite and start again.

Li stressed the central government will continue to fully, accurately and unswervingly implement the "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy in accordance with the Basic Law, fully support the chief executive and the SAR government administration according to law, support Hong Kong in improving its international financial, trade and shipping center position and moving faster to build Hong Kong into an international center for innovation and technology to enhance Hong Kong's international competitiveness and better integrate Hong Kong into China's overall development, as well as maintain long-term prosperity and stability. 

He believes Lee will unite and lead the new Hong Kong government and people from all walks of life to write a new chapter in the successful practice of "one country, two systems."

Lee won the chief executive election on May 8. Lee said on Friday that he was most grateful to the central government's appointment, and pledged to live up to the expectations of the central government and people of Hong Kong, according to Hong Kong government. 

The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China's State Council on Friday extended congratulations to Lee, saying he was widely recognized by people from all walks of life in Hong Kong and highly trusted by the central government.

The next five years will be a crucial period for Hong Kong to transform from chaos to governance and from governance to prosperity. We believe that Lee will fully unite capable and competent people from all sectors to form a highly committed and patriotic team for the people to lead the Hong Kong to usher in a new chapter, the spokesperson of the office said. 

Global Times