Hong Kong’s outgoing leader Carrie Lam leaves behind a lame duck legacy as China cements its control

Lam once declared she must serve two masters – Beijing and the people of Hong Kong – but critics say her tenure reflects how she bowed to China at the expense of the city’s civil liberties, writes William Yang

Carrie Lam takes part in a press conference at the government headquarters (AFP/Getty)

When Carrie Lam became Hong Kong’s chief executive in 2017, she vowed to “rebuild a harmonious society”, “restore confidence” in the state, and ensure that implementation of its policies “be more closely aligned with public opinion”.

However, following a turbulent five-year tenure that has been marked by a months-long protest against the government, Beijing’s crackdown on civil society after the implementation of the national security law, and an exodus of tens of thousands of Hong Kongers from the city, Lam announced last week that she will leave office in June when her term ends.

In a spell defined by ever-increasing Chinese control over the semi-autonomous city, Lam is likely to go down as the region’s most divisive leader.