“Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan” have been named by Chinese President Xi Jinping as a major risk and challenge for the Communist Party, as he warned members that they “must struggle when necessary”. The designation came in a speech to officials on Tuesday, where Xi listed a number of challenges facing the country. He listed the three places as a single item in his list, placing it ahead of “foreign affairs” despite the global economic and strategic challenges China faces such as the trade war with the United States. The other risks identified by the Chinese president included economics, politics, culture and the environment, according to state news agency Xinhua. In his speech, which was delivered to hundreds of mid-career officials at the Central Party School, he said: “Cadres must be vigilant to any wind of change. They must know a deer passing by the rustle of grass and leaves, they must know the coming of a tiger by feeling the wind, they must know the arrival of autumn by the colour of one leaf.” “[We] must know where the risks are and in what forms they will take. [We] must struggle when necessary.” He urged the officials to ready themselves so they can “win in any struggle” and face down challenges to the Communist Party’s rule, national sovereignty and Beijing’s goal of national rejuvenation. “Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan” was listed a single item on the list to reflect Beijing’s view that all are part of China but, none is under the direct rule of the Communist Party. It was the only regional item on the list, which did not single out places like Xinjiang and Tibet. Xi also stressed that cadres must master the “art of struggles” and learn to be flexible. “[We must] focus on the main contradictions … and choose the methods of struggle in reasonable ways,” Xi said. “[We should] have a good grasp on [how to carry out] the struggles and that means we cannot give even an inch on issues of principles but must be flexible on strategic issues.” Xi’s speech came on the eve of the announcement by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor that she would formally withdrawal the much-despised extradition bill that triggered a wave of anti-government protests. The unrest in the city also prompted Beijing to conduct a risk assessment on Xi’s plans to visit Macau later this year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its handover from Portuguese rule. Tensions have also been growing between Beijing and Taiwan since the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party came to power three years ago. In the run-up to a presidential election on the island in January, the mainland authorities have banned solo travel to Taiwan, citing worsening cross-strait ties. ‘Five demands, not one less’: protesters cold to Carrie Lam’s bill withdrawal A commentary published on Wednesday on Xiakedao, a social media platform run by party mouthpiece People’s Daily , hinted that Beijing expected the situation in Hong Kong would not be resolved quickly. “There is a black hand of ‘colour revolution’ behind the violent crimes in Hong Kong,” the commentary say, referring to a series of uprisings in former Soviet republics in the early 2000s. “The general secretary [Xi] pointed out that there will be risks of all sorts and [the situation] will become even more complicated.” This was not the first time “Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan” have been identified as a risk by Beijing. The same description was cited in a directive issued by the Communist Party’s Central Committee in 2017 to guide officials on how to study Xi’s speech to the 19th party congress. Zhang Lifan, a Beijing-based political commentator, said the emphasis on Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan in the president’s latest speech highlighted the delicate situation in the three territories from Beijing’s perspective. Hong Kong police dismiss claims of train violence and obstructing media “The representation is not new but it reflects that Beijing sees the strategic importance and the far-reaching influence of the three regions,” Zhang said. “Beijing sees a greater threat of subversion [to its power] from these three regions if [the problems] are not handled well.”