Chief executive-elect Carrie Lam flew to Beijing on Sunday evening to accept her appointment as Hong Kong’s next leader. She will be received by Chinese President Xi Jinping this week.
Elected with 777 votes in a small-circle election on March 26, Lam was officially appointed as chief executive by the Chinese State Council five days later.
Accompanied by husband Lam Siu-por, Lam is set to meet various state leaders during her three-night stay in the capital.
RTHK reported that, on Monday, she will meet Wang Guangya, director of Beijing’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, and Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Chinese legislature – the National People’s Congress.
See also: Carrie Lam and the Civil Service
On Tuesday, she will accept her appointment as chief executive from Premier Li Keqiang, and will also meet President Xi Jinping. She will also visit Hongkongers studying or working in Beijing, and will hold a press conference.
The former chief secretary will return to Hong Kong on Wednesday.
As she departed Hong Kong International Airport on Sunday, Lam told reporters that she would not conduct any in-depth discussions with Chinese state leaders during her Beijing visit.
“I believe we will discuss preparations for the new administration,” she said. “I will only report very generally on the state of affairs in Hong Kong to the leaders who receive me – I believe there will be no concrete discussions on any specific topic.”
Several incumbent Hong Kong bureau chiefs have so far hinted that they would not remain in the next administration, while Lam’s former campaign chief said last week that she was having difficulties in finding suitable personnel.
A public opinion poll last week also showed that more people oppose than want her as the city’s next leader.
