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Coronavirus: why Xi Jinping’s message to Hong Kong wasn’t relayed to mainland China
- President told local government it should ‘take all necessary measures’ to protect residents – but unusually his remarks did not appear in mainland state media
- Instead they were reported by pro-Beijing newspapers in Hong Kong, and observers say that is to avoid stirring more public debate on the city
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When President Xi Jinping wants to send a public message in mainland China, the propaganda machine kicks in. It will be on CCTV’s prime-time bulletin, splashed across the front page of People’s Daily, and in all the other state news outlets.
But that did not happen when Xi on Wednesday told the Hong Kong government to “take all necessary measures” to protect residents’ lives and health and maintain social stability, as the city grapples with a surge in Covid-19 cases.
In a departure from the usual practice, the president’s remarks were first reported by Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Po – pro-Beijing newspapers in Hong Kong – and later reposted on the website of the central government’s liaison office in the city.
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Xi had reportedly asked Vice-Premier Han Zheng – the top state leader overseeing the city’s affairs – to relay to Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor the president’s “concern about the pandemic situation … and his care for Hong Kong residents”.
His remarks reflect growing worries in Beijing over the spiralling crisis in Hong Kong, whose health system has been overwhelmed, with daily cases topping 6,000 on Thursday.
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But unusually, the message was largely absent from mainland media – there was no mention in People’s Daily, Xinhua or on CCTV. Observers say that is because it is intended for the Hong Kong audience, and that Beijing does not want to stir more debate on the city among the mainland public.
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