Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has tested positive for COVID-19 upon returning from the APEC summit where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other heads of state, the Hong Kong government said on Monday. .
Lee visited Thailand’s capital Bangkok last week to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) summit.
According to the municipal government of Hong Kong, the leader of the Executive tested negative in the antigen tests he underwent in the four days he spent in Bangkok, but the result was positive in an examination carried out on his return to the southern Chinese city.
“The Chief Executive is complying with a quarantine, in accordance with the guidelines provided by the Center for Sanitary Protection,” reads a statement.
In addition to Xi, Lee met with the prime ministers of Thailand and Singapore, as well as the presidents of Indonesia and Vietnam. He also spoke with Chilean President Gabriel Boric.
At the informal leaders’ meeting on Friday, Lee sat between Xi Jinping and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, all three without masks.
The APEC meeting was Lee’s first overseas trip since he took over as chief executive in July.
