Incumbent Chief Executive CY Leung has pulled out of the 2017 CE race before it’s even begun, citing the “unbearable pressure” that his family would be put under if he was to run again.
Speaking at a press briefing this afternoon, Leung said he made his decision in order to “take care of [his] family”. “It is the responsible decision to make for both my family and [Hong Kong] society for the next few years,” he told reporters. “If I was to participate in the Chief Executive election, I fear that my family would be subjected to unbearable pressure during my campaign.”
Leung said he called a press conference immediately after his decision was made, in order to provide the public with all the information at hand regarding the election as soon as possible.
The deeply unpopular Chief Executive added that he had already notified central government. When asked if his choice not to run for re-election was influenced by Beijing, Leung replied, “Everyone in Hong Kong can see that the Central Authorities, including the top leaders in the country, have been very supportive of my work over all these years.”
The surprise announcement comes days after local newspaper Apple Daily alleged that Leung’s daughter, Chai Yan, had been hospitalised in a trauma ward for a month.
Both Leung and his wife Regina were reportedly photographed visiting the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin on separate occasions yesterday.
Leung did not confirm the rumours of Chai’s hospitalisation, but said he had a responsibility to protect his family, as his children’s “only father” and his wife’s “only husband”.
Prominent figures such as Financial Secretary John Tsang, pro-Beijing lawmaker Regina Ip, and ex-LegCo chief Jasper Tsang are all expected to vie for the position of Chief Executive in March.
Leung declined to say who he thought his successor should be, and only stated that he had his “own ideas” on who would win the election. Regardless of the outcome, he said he would “support whoever wins the election and whoever is capable of being appointed by the Central People’s Government”.
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