Sanctioned Hong Kong leader John Lee’s ‘schedule’ prevents him from going to San Francisco for Apec but excuse is to avoid creating another friction point in China-US ties, say analysts

John Lee, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, will not be attending the Apec summit in San Francisco next month due to 'scheduling issues', according to the government. Instead, the city's Finance Secretary, Paul Chan, will represent Hong Kong at the meeting. Analysts believe this decision is a strategic move to avoid exacerbating tensions between China and the United States. They argue that escalating the issue or expressing hostility about not being allowed to attend would not have been beneficial for the relationship between the two countries.

The government's statement put an end to months of speculation about whether Lee, who is among 11 officials sanctioned by the US for their role in implementing the national security law in June 2020, would be able to attend the summit. A Hong Kong government spokesperson confirmed that they had received an invitation to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting, which will take place from November 15 to 17. However, due to Lee's busy schedule, he would not be able to attend in person. Instead, Paul Chan will attend on his behalf.

This announcement came shortly after China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, visited the US, a trip that is widely seen as laying the groundwork for a potential meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden at the Apec summit. However, Hong Kong did not play a significant role in the discussions leading up to the establishment of the terms and conditions for such a dialogue. Ultimately, the decision was made that it would be best for the US not to invite Lee, as it could create an uncomfortable situation for China, particularly in light of the upcoming US elections.