Even before he set foot in Hong Kong, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s goal was clear: to inaugurate the city’s next bankruptcy under the corporate rule of Communist Party power.
In his first departure from the mainland since the pandemic began, Xi arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday afternoon to mark the 25th anniversary of his move from Britain and attend the swearing-in of new chief executive John Lee on Friday. Xi’s presence amounted to a declaration of confidence in the city’s stability after years of COVID-19, political protests, and an upcoming crackdown on dissent.
It was also the time for Xi to further consolidate his position as China’s toughest leader since Mao Zedong, months before he broke with post-Mao criteria and secured a third term as president. Many believe that won’t stop there.
As they left the bullet exercise at Hong Kong’s West Kowloon station, Xi and his wife were greeted by hooded officials and schoolchildren who chanted and waved welcome greetings with Chinese and Hong Kong flowers and flags.
As the couple walked the winding red carpet to the sound of a marching band, other participants waved long red banners to greet their arrival and swung lion dance costumes. Around the station, birthday decorations proclaimed, “A new era. Stability. Prosperity. Opportunity. “
“Symbolism says a lot,” said Minxin Pei, a professor at Claremont McKenna College. “This is an opportunity to show that he is in charge. “
The Chinese leader has returned to a very different Hong Kong from his last time in the city five years ago. In 2019, the city was rocked by widespread protests against a bill that would extend Beijing’s legal jurisdiction to the former British colony. Then COVID-19 broke out, restrictions and gatherings. As contentious clashes between police and protesters subsided, Beijing implemented a national security law that saw many protesters, journalists, politicians and jailed, while others fled abroad.
The measures greatly accelerated Hong Kong’s 50-year transition to complete Chinese rule, an era in which the city intended to maintain a higher level of autonomy and democratic freedom under the “one country, two systems” style that was presented in the past through the Chinese. leader. In a brief speech upon arrival, Xi said Hong Kong was a testament to the good fortune of the beginning.
“Hong Kong has withstood one rigorous control after another, prevailing over all dangers and challenges,” he said. “After this experience, Hong Kong is emerging from the ashes, showing vigor and vitality. one country, two systems’, Hong Kong will actually have an even brighter future. “
But the city’s internal and external critics argue otherwise, saying that “one country, two systems” has necessarily been removed from Beijing, despite its signed agreement with Britain.
“Hong Kong is now for all intents and purposes a Chinese city,” Pei said.
This year is of undue political importance to Xi, who is expected to be granted a new presidential term in the autumn through the Chinese National Party Congress. one of his most sensible priorities: the reunification of China’s “homeland” and the territories he considers his own.
This also includes Taiwan, a target of Deng’s model of shared regulations. Xi has more strongly called for reunification with the autonomous island, even as his ruling political party, along with most Taiwanese citizens, oppose the mainland’s unification and aggression, leading to greater friction across the strait and considerations that Beijing would possibly try to achieve its purpose militarily.
“Beijing’s presence in Hong Kong will only provide those perspectives in Taiwan,” said Ja Ian Chong, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore. “Beijing can make promises, such as allowing Hong Kong to have its own formula and democracy, but it is finally in a position to withdraw them. “
The United States and Britain have criticized China’s crackdown on democracy, free speech and civil liberties in Hong Kong following the National Security Act, accusations that Hong Kong’s current government rejects as “unfounded” and foreign interference in domestic affairs. Washington has imposed sanctions on dozens of Hong Kong officials, new chief executive Lee and his predecessor, Carrie Lam.
The degraded relations between China and Western democracies have suffered most from China’s engagement with Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. “strategic challenge” and raising considerations about their political and economic ambitions and policies.
Despite Xi’s statement of confidence in Hong Kong’s future, the excessive measures implemented for him imply lingering fears of extra-political or pandemic disruption.
Two senior Hong Kong officials tested positive for the coronavirus in the days leading up to Xi’s arrival, raising considerations about the dangers of infection. Thousands of citizens are quarantined to participate in the week’s festivities, according to the South China Morning Post.
The government also leaves little room for the possibility of possible protests from the political opposition. The city deployed thousands of police for the events, banned the use of drones and made several arrests for alleged acts of sedition, according to local media.
While Chinese state media showed Xi’s plan this week, additional details, even for participants, have been scarce under the strictly controlled and coordinated agenda. The Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents Club said this week that at least 10 journalists from local and foreign media had not been allowed to cover the occasions for “security reasons”, while some media outlets were unable to apply for accreditation at all.
Even with all the precautions, Xi will most likely return to Shenzhen, on the mainland opposite to Hong Kong, to stay there on Thursday night before returning to Hong Kong on Friday, the South China Morning Post reported.
“This shows that officials are not completely convinced that everything is under control in Hong Kong,” said Ho-Fung Hung, a professor of political economy at Johns Hopkins University.
Thanks to arrest raids, a purge of “unpatriotic” politicians and the dismantling of independent media, basic opposition to Hong Kong’s new leadership has been eradicated. However, Lee and Xi still have to deal with the economic future of the city, which has been affected. hard through China’s strict zero-COVID protocols.
At the same time, citizens and businesses have begun to leave amid political turmoil and the pandemic, raising concerns about a brain drain and threatening Hong Kong as a major financial and foreign advertising hub.
In a vote by the Chinese University of Hong Kong last year, 57. 5% of respondents over the age of 15 to 30 wanted to leave the city, up from 46. 8% in 2018. The Hong Kong American Chamber of Commerce said in its most recent annual survey that due to pandemic restrictions, 26% of businesses were more likely to leave, while 44% of respondents said they controlled exits.
Xi said Hong Kong’s demanding situations can be overcome, with the strength of the mainland’s matrix. Recently, he pressed the importance of Hong Kong’s continued progress and commitment to youth, as well as the territory’s economic and trade integration with the mainland through neighboring Guangdong. Province.
“The big challenge now will be to revive the economy,” Hung said. “They need to show that they have the determination to do so, but there is no simple way to assure the world that Hong Kong is still up and running. “
This story gave the impression in the Los Angeles Times.
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