Beijing ‘unswerving’ on ‘one country, two systems’, new chief of Hong Kong affairs says; lashes out at independence advocates
Zhang Xiaoming says reshuffle of officials will not affect policy towards city, and that he ‘doesn’t care’ about criticism of his work in Hong Kong
The new chief of Beijing’s office responsible for Hong Kong affairs has promised the central government’s “unswerving” implementation of the “one country, two systems” policy will not change, regardless of the latest reshuffle of top officials.
On his first day as director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office on Monday, Zhang Xiaoming advised people not to “easily associate a particular official’s change in position with whether the central government’s principle on Hong Kong is changing”.
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He also slammed advocates of independence for Hong Kong, describing them as “intolerable”.
Under the “one country, two systems” formula, Beijing has promised that Hong Kong’s capitalistic system and way of life will not change for at least 50 years since the city was transferred from British to Chinese rule in 1997.
The relationship between the city and the rest of the country has come under strain in recent years amid growing anti-mainland sentiment.