Chief Executive Carrie Lam of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has received the resignation tendered by Chief Secretary for Administration John Lee, and has submitted it to the Central People's Government in accordance with Article 48(5) of the Basic Law, the HKSAR government said in a statement on Wednesday.

When meeting the press, Lee, who has held the position since June 2021, said if the central government approves his resignation, he intends to participate in the chief executive election held on May 8. 

The nomination period for the once-in-five-year chief executive election of the HKSAR began on April 3 and will run through April 16. 

Lee, 64, served as the secretary for security of the HKSAR government from July 2017 to June 2021. 

(With input from Xinhua)