Beijing underlines its jurisdiction and desire for urgent action by laying down targets for incoming Hong Kong leader, analysts say

Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office has laid out five expectations for incoming government of John Lee

‘The new team must have the sense of a mission to deliver after taking up their positions in July,’ one expert says

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Hong Kong Chief Executive-designate John Lee introduces his team on Sunday. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 8:15am, 20 Jun 2022Updated: 9:22am, 20 Jun 2022

Beijing’s decision to lay out explicit targets for the incoming Hong Kong government signals its determination to exercise “comprehensive jurisdiction” over the city and has injected a sense of urgency for the new administration to deliver, according to analysts.

While Sunday’s announcement of the cabinet line-up of Chief Executive-designate John Lee Ka-chiu won initial praise from major political parties, some analysts warned the diverse backgrounds of the members could spell a longer time for them to cohere as a team and deliver.

The State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) laid out five expectations for Lee’s government, stressing it should tackle deep-rooted problems, especially housing, with “clearer targets”, “greater courage” and “stronger action”.

Carrie Lam meets Wang Guangya, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, in Beijing ahead of taking over as chief executive in April 2017. Photo: Sam Tsang

The office also urged the new administration to do more to help Hong Kong further integrate with national development plans, raise the city’s profile overseas and develop technology and education, in addition to strictly adhering to the “one country two systems” model of governance.

No such statement was issued when the government line-up of Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was announced in 2017, although there were media reports at the time that then HKMAO director Wang Guangya had given the incoming principal officials “some encouragement” during a meeting in Shenzhen.