Beijing: Beijing is drawing up a plan to remove Hong Kong's beleaguered chief executive Carrie Lam, the Financial Times reported Wednesday, after nearly five months of pro-democracy unrest.
The pro-Beijing leader has faced sustained criticism from protesters in the semi-autonomous city. So far the central government in Beijing has given its support to her and the Hong Kong police, calling the demonstrators "rioters" and condemning the violence.
China's Next Move:
But according to the media reports, which quoted unnamed figures briefed on the deliberations, the Chinese government is drawing up a plan to replace her with an interim chief executive.
However, the plan would be dependent on the situation in the city first stabilising so that Beijing is not seen as giving in to violence. Lam's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.
Read more: Over 2,200 people detained in HK since start of protests: Carrie Lam
HK at Boiling Point:
Hong Kong has now been battered by 20 weeks of protests and with no political solution in sight, clashes have intensified each month.
Earlier this month, Lam who has refused to grant any major concessions to protesters invoked a colonial-era emergency law to ban face masks, setting off a new wave of protests and vandalism that shut down much of the city's transport network.
Xi Jinping's Next Move:
If President Xi Jinping decided to go ahead with the plan to remove Lam, the report said her replacement would be installed by March.
Leading candidates being considered to replace Lam reportedly include Norman Chan, former head of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and Henry Tang, who has also served as the territory's financial secretary and chief secretary for administration.
A leaked audio recording emerged in September of Lam saying she would quit if she had a choice although she later said she had not contemplated standing down.
