Profile of Carrie Lam: whom China plans to replace with 'interim' chief executive - report

Record ID: 1438309

  • Title: Profile of Carrie Lam: whom China plans to replace with 'interim' chief executive - report
  • Date: 23rd October 2019
  • Summary: Without a clear end to the unrest in sight, Lam invoked colonial-era emergency powers for the first time in more than 50 years to ban face masks, a law that took effect on October 5. HONG KONG, CHINA (RECENT - OCTOBER 4, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** LAM SEATED WITH OFFICIALS FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) HONG KONG CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CARRIE LAM, SAYING: "As the current situation has clearly given rise to a state of serious public danger, the chief executive in council decided at a special meeting this morning to invoke the power under the emergency regulations ordinance, and make a new regulation in the name of prohibition on face covering regulation, which is essentially an anti-mask law." Lam was forced to abandon her annual policy address after some lawmakers jeered as she began speaking, causing an unprecedented cancellation of the speech. She later delivered the speech via a pre-recorded video link. HONG KONG, CHINA (RECENT - OCTOBER 16, 2019) (REUTERS) LAM ARRIVING / LAWMAKERS TRYING TO PUSH PLACARDS IN FRONT OF HER AND CHANTING / LAM WALKING INTO CHAMBER LAM SPEAKING AT PODIUM / BEING INTERRUPTED BY PAN-DEMOCRAT LAWMAKER GARY FAN HOLDING PLACARD AND RUNNING TO LAM, SHOUTING (Cantonese): "FIVE DEMANDS, NOT ONE LESS!", "INVESTIGATE POLICE FORCE" FAN SHOUTING AND HOLDING PLACARD/ LAM LEAVING / PAN-DEMOCRAT LAWMAKER (BLUE SHIRT) AU NOK-HIN CLIMBING ONTO TABLE AND RUNNING AFTER LAM WHILE BEING STOPPED BY LEGCO STAFF
  • Embargoed: 6th November 2019 08:34
  • Keywords: Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam profile extradition law Carrie Lam Lam Hong Kong leader
  • Location: HONG KONG, BEIJING, CHINA/ TOKYO, JAPAN
  • City: HONG KONG, BEIJING, CHINA/ TOKYO, JAPAN
  • Country: Hong Kong
  • Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA00KB2CFZ9J
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: China is drawing up a plan to replace Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam with an "interim" chief executive, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday (October 22), citing people briefed on the deliberations, which would bring to a close Lam's rule after months of often-violent pro-democracy protests.
    Lam became a lightning rod for protests over fears that Beijing was tightening its grip, limiting the freedoms enjoyed under the "one country, two systems" principle enshrined when colonial ruler Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997.
    If Chinese President Xi Jinping decides to go ahead, Lam's successor would be appointed by March and cover the remainder of her term, which ends in 2022, the newspaper said.
    The leading candidates to succeed Lam include Norman Chan, the former head of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and Henry Tang, who has also served as the territory's financial secretary and chief secretary for administration, the report said.
    In September, in response to a Reuters report about a recording of Lam saying she would step down if she could, she said she had never asked the Chinese government to let her resign to end the Chinese-ruled city's political crisis.
    (Production: Joseph Campbell)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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