Pro-establishment lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee has expressed an interest in running for Chief Executive, as rumours fly about other potential candidates.
When asked on a Commercial Radio program whether she would confirm whether she is running in next year’s leadership race, scheduled for March, Ip said she is “interested, [and] preparation work is being done.”
She said that, at the earliest, she would formally announce her candidacy after the election for the Election Committee in December. The election will be held on December 11 to select 1,044 out of the 1,200 members of the committee responsible for electing the next Chief Executive.
Ip’s statement came after retired judge Woo Kwok-hing became the first to join the race for the city’s top job. He will meet the press on Thursday to discuss the details of his bid.
Commenting on other potential candidates, Ip said that if the incumbent Leung Chun-ying was re-elected, many people would be disappointed. Leung has not yet publicly declared an intent to run for re-election.
Financial Secretary John Tsang is also tipped to run.
