HONG KONG: YouTube on Wednesday suspended a channel promoting John Lee's undisputed bid for the post of Hong Kong's next leader, saying the move required US sanctions against the former security chief.
Lee is expected to be appointed the new chief executive of the business center by a committee of 1,500 Beijing supporters next month. He has no rivals.
He has used YouTube, Facebook and Instagram accounts to promote his platform, although so far no specific politicians have been published.
Asked about his removal from YouTube, Lee condemned U.S. sanctions as "unjustified mockery" for his work to protect China's national security.
"The so-called sanctions ... are designed to put pressure on me and make me hesitate," he told reporters.
"But their foolish steps will only strengthen my faith in what I'm doing right."
Lee said that although he was "disappointed" with YouTube's decision, his bid to become the city's next leader will not be affected, adding that he will start visiting local communities after the pandemic's social distancing rules are eased on Thursday.
A former senior police officer who has become Hong Kong’s security king, Lee has been a key figure in suppressing huge democratic protests three years ago and subsequent repression led by Beijing.
The parent company, Google, defended the removal of the channel, saying it was done in accordance with U.S. sanctions that prohibit U.S. companies and individuals from providing services to target officials.
“After reviewing and in accordance with this policy, we have stopped the Johnlee2022 YouTube channel,” a company spokesman said.
Meta told AFP on Wednesday that Lee was able to maintain Facebook and Instagram accounts because they were "demonetized".
"We have taken steps to prevent the use of payment services," said a Meta spokesman.
There, Yu Zhong, Lee's chief adviser, as well as Hong Kong's only representative in China's top legislature, also criticized YouTube's decision.
“They just said we violated their respective policies,” Tam said. "We think it's completely unreasonable."
“They can’t stop us from spreading information for our campaign and our candidate in public,” he added.
Lee was among 11 high-ranking officials in Hong Kong and Beijing, sanctioned by the US Treasury Department in 2020 following China's introduction of a broad security law aimed at eliminating dissent in the financial center.
Other officials subject to sanctions include Hong Kong leader Kerry Lam, former police chiefs Chris Tan and Stephen Law, and Justice Minister Theresa Chen.
Lam once joked that now that her sanctions have deprived her of access to the international banking system, she has to keep piles of cash at home.
China is deploying its "Great Firewall" to block citizens from accessing Western social networks, but allows its officials, diplomats and state media to use them.
Currently, Hong Kong does not restrict access to Western social networks, but its reputation as a bastion of freedom of the press has fallen due to current repression.
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