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Hong Kong elections: covert ‘foreign agents’ in city could undermine Legislative Council poll, No 2 official John Lee warns
- Chief Secretary John Lee makes comments on blog with a week to the first legislative election since Beijing’s shake-up of political system
- Candidates out campaigning in final stretch say enthusiasm for poll among middle-age voters is picking up but younger ones continue to appear disinterested
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Covert “foreign agents” remaining in Hong Kong could further undermine the coming Legislative Council election, the city’s No 2 official has warned amid concerns over low voter turnout for next Sunday’s poll.
Chief Secretary John Lee Ka-chiu issued the warning on his blog on Saturday, as candidates fanned out across districts to drum up voter enthusiasm.
Some hopefuls who were out campaigning told the Post that public sentiment for the election appeared to have improved compared to a few weeks ago, but admitted younger residents remained unenthused about taking part.
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Lee warned that foreign agents had not been entirely “uprooted” despite the imposition of the national security law and overhaul of the electoral system by Beijing to ensure only “patriots” held power.
The security law, enacted in June last year, was set up to combat acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.
“Many of these ‘foreign agents’ are still in hiding in Hong Kong, deliberately trying to block the successful implementation of the improved electoral system,” Lee said.
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