China plans to replace Hong Kong's Lam - FT

The Financial Times is reporting that China plans to replace Carrie Lam.

She's the widely unpopular leader of Hong Kong - a city that's been battered by months of protests.

The paper cites people briefed on the deliberations, who say Beijing is drawing up a plan to replace her with an interim chief executive.

That person would take charge until her term ends in 2022.

But the sources also said it's not an imminent move.

They say China would wait for Hong Kong to stabilize before making the final decision. If not it could look like the Communist Party was giving in to often violent protests.

The paper says if President Xi Jinping does sign off on the plan - Lam would be out of a job by March 2020.

And they say the top contenders to take over would be Norman Chan - a former head of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.

Or Henry Tang, who's positions have included financial secretary.

The embattled Lam is just the latest leader to cause problems in the former British colony.

In fact, none of her three predecessors completed two full terms in office.

And if the FT report is true, it seems Lam's own days might be numbered.