Hong Kong’s first female leader vows to heal divide
HONG Kong’s new leader has pledged to heal political rifts in the former British colony after winning a vote yesterday amid protests by democracy activists.
Carrie Lam, 59, inherits a city that is sharply divided after she was chosen as the city’s first female leader by a committee dominated by pro-Beijing elites.
The career civil servant defeated people’s favourite John Tsang and retired high court judge Woo Kwok-hing in the contest – the first since protests calling for greater freedoms brought Hong Kong to a standstill in 2014.
The financial hub has witnessed growing frustrations from a pro-democracy camp who fear Beijing is tightening its grip on the city.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets holding placards saying “sham election” and shouting slogans calling for more democracy.
Demosisto, a party formed by Joshua Wong and activists who led the 2014 “Umbrella Protests”, called the result “a nightmare” and pledged to launch a “large civil disobedience protest” when Ms Lam is sworn in.