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‘Big brother Chiu’ for Hong Kong chief executive? John Lee’s classmates not surprised their policeman friend is running for top job
- City leader hopeful was ‘a cheerful, sunny boy’ always willing to help at Catholic boys’ school
- He had a place to study engineering at university, but chose to join police force instead
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Former banker Peter Lai Wing-leung is not surprised that his secondary school classmate John Lee Ka-chiu is on track to become Hong Kong’s next chief executive, after securing Beijing’s blessings to run in the May 8 election.
Even as a teenager, Lai recalled, Lee would “think about what he could do for Hong Kong and his country”.
They were in the same class in Form Four and Five at the prestigious Wah Yan College (Kowloon), a Catholic school run by the Jesuits.
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“I know his character, he is a responsible man wishing to do good for Hong Kong and mainland China,” said Lai, explaining why he thought Lee, 64, was suitable for the top job.
While some schoolmates spoke up for Lee’s capability and reliability, an alumnus who worked with him through his early years in the police force wondered whether he could rise above his security-oriented mindset to run an international business hub.
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