Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has announced she will not be seeking a second term.
“I will complete my five-year term as chief executive on the 30th of June this year, and I will also call an end to my 42 years of public service,” Ms Lam said at a news conference.
She thanked her team of local officials and the central authorities in Beijing, and said she plans to spend more time with family, which is her “sole consideration.”
Ms Lam endured a controversial five years marked by huge protests calling for her resignation, a security crackdown that has quashed dissent and a Covid-19 wave that overwhelmed the health system.
Speculation had swirled for months about whether she would seek another term, but she said that her decision had been conveyed to the central government in Beijing last year and was met with “respect and understanding”.
“Less than two years into my chief executive term, because of the anti-extradition bill and because of interference from foreign forces and also the attack of Covid-19, I was under great pressure,” Ms Lam said. “However the motivation for me to press on was the very staunch support behind me by the central authorities.”
Her successor will be picked in May with the region’s security chief during the 2019 protests among the possible choices.
She presided over a period in which Beijing firmly established control over the former British colony that was returned to China in 1997.
Ms Lam’s popularity sharply declined over her five-year term, particularly over legislation that would have allowed crime suspects to be extradited to mainland China for trial and later over her leadership during the 2019 protests that saw violent clashes erupt between police and protesters.
She also strongly supported the national security law initiated by Beijing, and implemented by her government, that was seen as eroding the “one country, two systems” framework that promised that city residents would retain freedoms not found in mainland China, such as a free press and freedom of expression.
"There’s only one consideration and that is family. I have told everyone before that family is my first priority," Ms Lam told a regular press briefing.
"They think it’s time for me to go home."
She declined to comment on possible candidates to replace her and said she had not decided on her future plans.
Ms Lam, born in British-ruled Hong Kong in 1957 and a life-long civil servant who describes herself as a devout Catholic, took office in 2017 with a pledge to unite a city that was growing increasingly resentful of Beijing’s tightening grip.
Hong Kong media say the city’s second highest-ranked leader John Lee is likely to enter the race to succeed Ms Lam.
Chief Secretary Lee was the city’s head of security during the 2019 protests, and is known for his support for the police force during the protests and his tough stance against protesters.
The election for the chief executive had been set on March 27 but was postponed until May 8 as the city endures its worst coronavirus outbreak of the pandemic.
Ms Lam previously served as chief secretary, secretary for development and other roles in civil service. She earned the nickname “good fighter” for her tough stance and refusal to back down in political battles.
Ms Lam renounced her British nationality in 2007 when she was appointed secretary for development. Her husband and two children have retained their British nationalities.
