City Beat | From moderate academic to ‘hardliner’, did we discover the real Zhang Xiaoming or did Hong Kong change him?
Zhang started smoothly but tough stance against Occupy and rise of Hong Kong independence saw him and the liaison office accused of trying to ‘rule’ the city
What kind of person is Zhang Xiaoming?
After serving for five years as Beijing’s top representative in Hong Kong, he went back to the capital on Friday to take over as the new boss of his old office. He is now the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office under the State Council.
So, is it a sign that Beijing is maintaining its grip on the city, since Zhang is known for his tough style? It’s worth noting how Zhang’s image has changed from that of a moderate academic-type before his Hong Kong posting to that of the current “hardliner” amid criticism that the liaison office he headed here is trying to “rule” the city.
Was it Hong Kong that changed him or had his true personality not been fully discovered before?
As a Basic Law expert with deep knowledge of the city’s political system, Zhang was relatively well received when he was promoted to head the liaison office five years ago. He was the first director of the office with a solid understanding of Hong Kong, while his predecessors were technocrats in other fields before coming to the city.
Zhang also had a seemingly smooth start. Seven months after his arrival, he was invited to lunch with lawmakers, including the pan-democrats, making him Beijing’s first representative to visit the Legislative Council for such a high-profile gathering. It was seen as a demonstration of good will on both sides to enhance better communication.
