China To Oust Carrie Lam By March Amid Hong Kong Protests: Report

China's impending ouster of embattled Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam by March 2020 will do nothing to mollify the city's pro-democracy protestors who vehemently insist their leaders be chosen by democratic elections and not appointed by China.

Lam, who triggered Hong Kong's ongoing series of protests with the infamous extradition bill, has fallen into disfavor with Chinese president Xi Jinping and will be replaced by an interim chief executive, the Financial Times reported. This person will serve out the remaining three years of Lam's five year term of office. Lam was appointed by China as Hong Kong's chief executive on July 1, 2017.

Two Hong Kong politicians are the leading candidates for Lam's job: Norman Chan Tak-Lam, a banker who was formerly Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA); and Henry Tang Ying-nien, who served as the chief secretary of Hong Kong from 2007 to 2011.

Chan retired as HKMA boss only on Sept. 30 after holding the job for a decade. He previously served as director of the Office of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Tang was Hong Kong's financial secretary from 2003 to 2007. He lost his 2012 bid to become Hong Kong chief executive to Leung Chun-ying.

Media reports affirm Beijing is developing a plan to replace Lam. The Financial Times reported, “people briefed on the deliberations" are saying Lam will be replaced. China, however, remains concerned Lam's replacement will give life to a protest movement gone violent that is now entering its fifth straight month.

China's leadership wants the explosive situation in Hong Kong to stabilize before making a final decision on whether to proceed with a leadership change. Analysts said Beijing doesn't want to be perceived as knuckling under to violence.

One reason for holding off on Lam's replacement until five months from now is because Beijing hopes the violence will subside while mass arrests mount.

Lam's ouster will fulfill two of the five major demands by Hong Kong protesters but will do nothing to stop them. On Sept. 4, Lam granted protesters' demand she fully withdraw the extradition bill from the legislative process.

The three other main demands are democratic elections to choose the chief executive and members of the Legislative Council (LegCo); a government retraction of its statement the protests are riots; the release and exoneration of arrested protesters and establishment of an independent commission of inquiry into police brutality against protestors.