China to install former security chief John Lee as Hong Kong leader

John Lee attends his 2022 chief executive electoral campaign rally in Hong Kong (Kin Cheung/AP)

China is installing a career security official as the new leader of Hong Kong in the culmination of a sweeping political transformation that has gutted any opposition in the Asian financial centre and placed it ever more firmly under Beijing’s control.

John Lee, formerly the city’s number two official, is the only candidate on Sunday in what is an election in name only.