John Lee elected as the new leader of Hong Kong

Hong Kong; John Lee has been elected as the new leader of Hong Kong, after winning a total vote of 1,416. The former security chief was elected as the new Chief Executive of Hong Kong on Sunday after surpassing the threshold of 750 votes required for the victory.

The 64-year-old made a short speech after the announcement of the election results, expressing gratitude to members of the Election Committee who turned out to vote and to the Hong Kong residents.

The polling hours ran from 9 a.m. to 11.30 a.m..

Members of the Election Committee cast their secret ballots on a one-person-one-vote basis at the main polling station at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, IANS reported.

Lee's term in office will run from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2027.

According to a BBC report, he is known for his pro-Beijing hardline views and garnered only 34.8 points out of 100 in a recent popularity survey.

He replaces Carrie Lam, who announced last month that she would not seek a second term.

Lam, who became the Chief Executive in 2017, had said that her decision was "entirely" based on family considerations.

The 64-year-old Lee comes from a law enforcement background.

In 1977, he joined the Hong Kong police force at the age of 20.

His early career focused on tackling criminal activity.