My Take | Hong Kong cries out for sunny skies after too many storm clouds
- Cliff Buddle says the 25th anniversary celebrations would have been a damp squib without President Xi Jinping and his welcome reassurance of a brighter future
The omens for Hong Kong’s future as the city marks the 25th anniversary of its return to China are not good, if the weather is any guide. The heavens rained on the parade and celebrations were muted. There was even a typhoon. Soothsayers might predict stormy times ahead.
If it had not been for the attendance of President Xi Jinping, on his first trip outside mainland China during the pandemic, the whole affair would have been a damp squib. But Xi’s presence gave the proceedings symbolism and significance, underlining Hong Kong’s importance to Beijing.
The president’s speech was delivered at a critical time after three years of turbulence. Clarity and confidence is needed. Many residents have left, disillusioned by a crackdown on opposition and frustrated by tight Covid-19 restrictions. There are fears about the future.
Xi’s speech offered some welcome reassurance. The president expressed support for both the national security law passed in 2020 and the political reforms ensuring only “patriots” govern Hong Kong. That is only to be expected.
But this was not a lecture on the overriding importance of national security or a diatribe on the evils of Western powers, of the kind frequently heard from local officials in recent times. Xi’s tone was moderate, inclusive and optimistic.