Hong Kong’s No. 2 official in bid to become city’s new leader -TVB

Reuters file photo
Secretary of Security John Lee Ka-Chiu is seen in Hong Kong, on October 23, 2019

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s chief secretary John Lee, a security official during the global financial hub’s prolonged and often violent 2019 pro-democracy protests, is set to resign to join a race in May to become the city’s new leader, broadcaster TVB reported, citing an unidentified source.

Lee, 64, a former deputy commissioner of police, was promoted to the city’s No. 2 role in 2021 in a move that some political analysts said signalled Beijing’s priorities for the city were related to security rather than finance or the economy.