HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s new leader Carrie Lam pledged on Sunday to mend political rifts after winning a vote dismissed as a sham by democracy activists who fear the loss of the city’s cherished freedoms. The former career civil servant was chosen as next chief executive of the semi-autonomous city by a mainly pro-China committee. She was widely seen as Beijing’s favourite candidate.

Her main rival, ex-finance chief John Tsang who was perceived as a more moderate pro-establishment figure, had a clear lead in opinion polls but trailed in the result. It was the first leadership vote since mass “Umbrella Movement” rallies in 2014 calling for fully free elections failed to secure reforms.

Pro-democracy activists said none of the candidates truly represented Hong Kong and rejected the vote outright.

Hong Kong was handed back to China by colonial ruler Britain in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” formula designed to protect its freedoms and way of life. But 20 years on, there are serious concerns Beijing is undermining the agreement.

Critics say Lam will deepen divisions but she insisted she wants to unify politically polarised Hong Kong. “My priority will be to heal the divide,” she said. Lam pledged to uphold Hong Kong’s autonomy and protect its core values, including freedom of expression and an independent judiciary. Asked how she would address concerns Beijing is tightening its grip, she said there was “no difference” between the Hong Kong government and Chinese authorities’ views on safeguarding the city’s status and liberties.

Beijing’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office welcomed Lam’s win in a statement which said she “was trusted by the central government”.

No evidence of Beijing influence

Lam is intensely disliked by the pro-democracy camp after promoting the Beijing-backed political reform package that sparked the protests of 2014. It would have allowed the public to vote for the city’s leader in 2017, but would have insisted candidates were vetted first.

Despite huge numbers the rallies failed to win concessions and the package was voted down in the legislature by pro-democracy lawmakers in 2015. Political reform has been shelved ever since.

Critics also see Lam as loyal to current unpopular chief executive Leung Chun-ying, viewed by opponents as a Beijing puppet. He will step down in July after five years in charge. Lam, 59, who will be the city’s first woman leader, was formerly his deputy. She won comprehensively with 777 votes against 365 for Tsang. Around three quarters of the 1,194 members of the election committee were from the pro-China camp.

Tsang likened his defeat to waking up from a dream, but said there was no evidence Beijing had influenced the result. Since the failure of the 2014 protests, some activists have called for self-determination for Hong Kong or even independence. But the pro-democracy movement as a whole has splintered and lost momentum.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2017