New Hong Kong police chief Stephen Lo to make first official visit to Beijing

Stephen Lo Wai-chung is set to make his first official trip as the city's new police chief to Beijing tomorrow.

Besides meeting the minister for public security and State Council officials in charge of Hong Kong and Macau affairs as his predecessors did, he is also expected to meet officials from the Network Security Bureau and the International Cooperation Bureau - both under the Ministry of Public Security during his four-day trip.

Accompanying Lo to Beijing are deputy police commissioner in charge of management Alfred Chau Kwok-leung, and assistant commissioner Sonny Au Chi-kwong, who oversees the police security wing.

The visit comes amid challenges to the force, including a resurgence of serious cross-border crime highlighted by the kidnapping of Bossini heiress Queenie Rosita Law, and possible Occupy-style protests as lawmakers vote on electoral reform this summer.

Lo is making the trip two weeks into his new position, whereas his predecessor Andy Tsang Wai-hung did not visit Beijing until two months after taking the job.

Icarus Wong Ho-yin, of police monitoring group Civil Rights Observer, said the visit should be of a courtesy nature.