Silence broken, Beijing looks for ways to take message direct to the Hong Kong public
- The central government is exploring options to make its position better known to the city’s people, sources say
- Monday’s press conference expected to mark the start of more to come
Beijing’s top office on Hong Kong will be more proactive in engaging the city’s populace after an attack by some radical protesters on the central government’s liaison office in Sai Ying Pun prompted it to hold its first press conference in more than two decades.
The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) under the State Council, China’s cabinet, has deliberately maintained a low profile since the city returned to China from Britain in 1997.
Until last week, it had not directly engaged the Hong Kong public, preferring to work with the city’s government instead.
The HKMAO broke that silence in the Chinese capital on Monday with its first press conference on Hong Kong affairs, a remarkable move prompted by an unprecedented attack on the liaison office in the city on July 21, according to three people familiar with the arrangements.
Now the HKMAO is considering more direct interaction with the Hong Kong media and public, including press conferences and other ways to engage the city’s populace, to better articulate Beijing’s policy, a source familiar with the discussions said.
Beijing was shocked by the attack of some radical protesters on its liaison office late last month.
The protests – triggered by the city government’s now-abandoned extradition law which would have allowed the transfer of criminal suspects to other jurisdictions, including mainland China – have turned increasingly violent since they began two months ago.
On July 21, a group of protesters refused to disperse after a march and gathered outside the liaison office, throwing eggs and ink balloons at the building, defacing the national emblem and spray-painting anti-China slogans on the walls.
Images of the sullied national emblem sparked a public uproar in mainland China and soured sentiment towards Hong Kong.
A week later, the HKMAO held its first press conference in Beijing to brief the world’s media on its position and views on the city.
Sources said the HKMAO started to prepare for the event immediately after the attack.
Without elaborating, two of the sources said the wording and tone of the statement was dictated by the “higher authority”. The HKMAO is a ministerial level office.
During the Monday press conference in Beijing, HKMAO spokesman Yang Guang took a moderate line, careful to differentiate between the “peaceful demonstrations” and “some radical elements”.
He also offered unqualified praise for the city’s embattled police, which has been accused of excessive use of force.
Yang also underlined the central government’s support for Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, who is widely considered responsible for the city’s biggest political crisis since the handover.
Yang singled out the attack on the liaison office as a challenge to the authority of the central government and said it touched the bottom line of “one country, two systems”, the principle by which Hong Kong maintains its own political, legal, economic and financial systems.
The press conference drew a mixed reaction in Hong Kong, with the police force welcoming the support and opposition lawmakers criticising Beijing for losing touch with the public.
