By Jessie Pang

HONG KONG, (Reuters) – Sin Kwok Lam is a Hong Kong filmmaker and kung fu master. This surprise announcement comes after incumbent Chief Executive Carrie Lam still has not confirmed whether she would run again for a second term.

This 65-year old is the first to declare their candidacy before the March 27 election. Lam will be retiring in June after having presided over many of Hong Kong’s most turbulent periods in history.

The backing of an elite “patriots only” electoral body, composed by 1,500 pro Beijing people from Hong Kong, is essential for any candidate. This support was not available to Sin.

Sin stated that his Internet supporters had convinced him not to become involved in politics.

Sin declared, “Under our new election system I believe every competent and reliable patriot is able to join the new chief Executive election.” Sin stated, “I am confident that I can win.”

It is strange to see no news regarding candidates with the election only weeks away. The possibility of Lam as leader, Paul Chan Financial Secretary, or Margaret Chan (ex-chief of the World Health Organisation) are all possibilities.

Sin produced Ip Man. He has always been a strong supporter of martial arts in Hong Kong. His World Wing Chun Union focuses its attention on southern Chinese traditional kung fu, as popularized by Bruce Lee in Hong Kong.

Sin, a Hong Kong native, has his YouTube channel. He posts every other day on topics such as politics and the Beijing Olympics. One of Sin’s shows was about ‘Western hypocrisy on Hong Kong’ in 2021.

In October 2019, at the heights of Hong Kong’s protests against the government, he started an online commentary.

Nominations are open from February 15 to March 2, and must be submitted by at least 188 members of the 1,500-person election committee.

This story is rewritten to correct spelling errors in the headline