China's State Council appoints John Lee as HKSAR chief executive

BEIJING - The State Council, China's cabinet, decided at a meeting Friday to appoint John Lee as the sixth-term chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

Lee will assume office on July 1, 2022.

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

Lee won the chief executive election on May 8.

The meeting deliberated a report of the HKSAR government on the election. Xia Baolong, head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, reported to the meeting on the selection process of the HKSAR's sixth-term chief executive designate.

John Lee's election win by an overwhelming majority shows the common aspiration of all sectors in Hong Kong to embark on a new journey in solidarity, Xia said in his report.

Addressing the meeting, Premier Li said the central government will maintain the firm commitment to fully and faithfully implement the principle of "one country, two systems" under which the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy.

Li vowed to ensure that the central government exercises overall jurisdiction over the special administrative region, and that Hong Kong is administered by patriots.

The central government will fully support the HKSAR chief executive and government in exercising law-based governance, said the premier.

He also vowed to support Hong Kong in consolidating and elevating its status as a global financial, trade and shipping center, in accelerating the pace to build itself into an international center for innovation and technology, and in maintaining its long-term prosperity and stability.

Li expressed his belief that John Lee, after taking office, will unite and lead the new HKSAR government and people from all walks of life to break new ground in Hong Kong's development.

Vice Premier Han Zheng and other State Council leaders attended the meeting.