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Mission of returning to global stage has not quite been accomplished by just making world leaders aware that city is gradually lifting Covid curbs.
While Hong Kong must operate as part of the nation, its high degree of autonomy also offers the chance to show the mainland what responses to the pandemic work.
It would be odd for both sides to keep up any pretence of maintaining a distance, as political practices over time have changed.
The takeaway here is that the change of Hong Kong’s leadership cannot be subject to direct or indirect factors concerning the US.
Carrie Lam’s decision to suspend universal testing has raised questions about city’s commitment to ‘dynamic-zero infection’ strategy.
Instruction to Hong Kong to shoulder ‘main responsibility’ in containing fifth wave of infections is Xi’s first direct order to city as general secretary.
Beijing has been tight-lipped on whether having a single candidate or more contenders is better for chief executive race on March 27.
Communique at end of Chinese Communist Party’s sixth plenum touched on city and self-ruled island for the first time, putting both under spotlight.
Unique governing formula will mean ‘stick’ as well as ‘carrot’ if Beijing’s sovereignty is not recognised, but the telling story of Hong Kong is that one country, or ‘one China’ prevails, like it or not.
State media has denied any Chinese version of a Robin Hood-style approach to wealth inequality, but message to city is loud and clear: it cannot rely on real estate to be its engine for future development.
The HK$7.5 million awarded to fencer Edgar Cheung for bringing home the city’s first gold in 25 years may seem like a princely sum, but even modestly sized flats can go for much more.
With city remaining a sticking point in China-US relations, the deputy secretary of state simply turning up at bargaining table is best result in the circumstances.
Promotion of tough security officials to the top of government reflects Beijing’s determination to transform civil service culture from political neutrality to patriotism.
New bill ensuring only ‘patriots’ govern Hong Kong effectively signals an end to big business’ influence in shaping policies, but it does not mean a quick fix for deep-rooted livelihood issues, particularly the city’s housing problem.
In recent days, city leader Carrie Lam’s administration has had to make two major policy reversals that could have been avoided. Now, it needs to reflect on how to grow out of its habitual Hong Kong-centric thinking.
Uncertainty over mutant strain, difficulties achieving ‘zero infection’ goal leave Hong Kong’s hoped-for economic rebound in limbo.
Cautious approach to getting second jab is understandable in these uncertain times.
The year-long anti-government protests and street violence of 2019 finally broke the back of any remaining patience Beijing might have had. But while the opposition bloc’s future remains uncertain, there are tougher challenges ahead for their pro-establishment rivals too.
Hong Kong electoral reform may become another point of contention between the US and China, but does Beijing have any reason to back down now?
However China strikes back, pragmatism should prevail to allow Sino-British relations to survive the row, even if the BN(O) arrangement doesn’t.
The city’s coming budget is a test of whether the government can put it on the right track in 2021.
Whether Joe Biden adopts a harder or softer approach to China, or maintains the status quo, it’s not going to matter much to how Beijing calibrates its Hong Kong policy.
As Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s trip to Beijing showed, the days of receiving preferential treatment are over. The city will have to rebuild its ‘can do’ spirit and leverage its role in the Greater Bay Area, which will require strong leadership.
Carrie Lam’s indifference, even if diplomatic, to Shenzhen surpassing Hong Kong economically goes down badly in proud city.
Luo Huining’s job request for unemployed man he visited raised eyebrows, but was it a sign that central government sent a senior party official to supervise Chief Executive Carrie Lam?
Questions linger over whether city’s high-profile testing scheme has reassured nervous residents or provided a clearer timeline for a return to normalcy.
Economic disparity, costly housing, divisive politics – the problems the city faced before social unrest and the pandemic have not gone away.
With bigger issues on their plate during brainstorming session in Beidaihe, Chinese leadership clearly expecting Hong Kong officials to deliver locally.
Visiting the US has long been a must for Hong Kong’s chief executives, but Carrie Lam is likely to be the only city leader to not have visited the country.