Hong Kong told autonomy will be preserved – but reminded of Beijing’s ultimate authority
Zhang Xiaoming reveals most detailed assessment to date of President Xi’s policy direction for city
Beijing’s top official in charge of Hong Kong affairs has issued the most detailed assessment to date of President Xi Jinping’s policy direction for the city, reassuring Hongkongers their autonomy will be preserved but reminding them of the central government’s overall authority.
In a 3,500-word essay published on Friday, the new director of State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Zhang Xiaoming, who this week became a full member of the party’s powerful Central Committee, explained that Xi’s assertion of Beijing’s “comprehensive jurisdiction” over Hong Kong was prompted by a minority resisting the central government’s authority.
“It is to target the wrong words and deeds of a very small number of people who, in the name of ‘high autonomy’, resist or exclude the central government from exercising its power by law,” Zhang wrote, “or even blatantly challenge the ‘one country’ principle and the relevant bottom line.”
Xi set the course for governing Hong Kong and Macau in his speech last Wednesday by calling for the melding of Beijing’s “comprehensive jurisdiction” over the two cities with their “high degree of autonomy” in a natural or “organic” way.