New Beijing boss should worry local loyalists
- Those newly put in charge of Hong Kong affairs are more likely to go after the old guard of pro-establishment parties rather than the pan-democratic opposition
Pan-democrats have warned the appointment of a hardliner as head of Hong Kong and Macau affairs in Beijing means the central government is tightening its grip over the city. That may be so. More likely, though, is an impending “purge” of the chiefs of local political parties who have allied themselves with the Hong Kong and central governments.
Since the debacle with the district council elections in November, it was a foregone conclusion that those mainland Chinese officials in charge of local affairs would have to answer for the electoral outcome.
Wang Zhimin, the liaison office chief in Hong Kong, was the first to go. Now, Zhang Xiaoming, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, is being demoted as his office and the liaison office are merged.