INTERNATIONAL: John Lee, Hong Kong's outgoing deputy leader, filed his candidacy for the May leadership election on Wednesday (April 13).

The former chief secretary said that he has received support from 786 of the Election Committee's 1,500 members, far exceeding the 188 nominations required to run. He is the first person to announce his intention to run.

Lee, 64, resigned last week, ahead of his bid to replace outgoing Chief Executive Carrie Lam, whose five-year term ends on June 30. Lam oversaw one of the most tumultuous periods in Hong Kong history with pro-democracy demonstrations and coronavirus.

Lee, a former career police officer, is widely expected to prioritise security issues if he gets the top job, having previously urged new legislation to fully implement a sweeping national security law Beijing imposed on the city in 2020. He has also warned about lingering underground "terrorist" and independence movements.