Lu Ping held firm on immigration during Hong Kong handover negotiation, Zhang Xiaoming says
Head of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office told Bauhinia magazine about Lu’s challenges in taking charge of crucial talks with Britain
It was Lu Ping, Beijing’s top gun on Hong Kong affairs during the handover talks, who refused to cede to the local government the power to decide which mainland people could visit or settle in the city, as he stood firm for his country’s overall interests, an official has revealed.
Zhang Xiaoming, the head of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) under the State Council, made the revelation in the latest issue of Bauhinia magazine, which included a lengthy story about Lu’s challenges taking charge of China’s talks with Britain over the return of Hong Kong after 150 years of colonial rule.
This is the first time Zhang has published an article since taking over the Beijing post earlier this year from Wang Guangya, who retired. It came after President Xi Jinping spelt out the central government’s “comprehensive jurisdiction” over Hong Kong at the 19th party congress in October.
In Zhang’s words, the late Lu was a man of principle who stood firm on Hong Kong issues when he led negotiations with Britain in the 1980s and 1990s on issues ranging from democracy and tackling Hong Kong’s last governor Chris Patten to the thorny topic of immigration.
Lu, who led the HKMAO between 1990 and 1997, made no concession despite views to the contrary on immigration held by some Hongkongers, according to Zhang, who wrote the article to mark Lu’s 90th birthday. Lu died in May 2015 at the age of 87.
