Analysis Unpacking Beijing official Xia Baolong’s whirlwind tour of Hong Kong: what did he learn and what will he tell the central government?
- Xia Baolong’s visit aimed at rallying Hong Kong to focus on economic transformation and retaining its international city status, political watchers say
- One key message repeated throughout meetings was the assurance that the central government will support the city, with more preferential policies on the way
As Beijing’s point man for Hong Kong left the city on Wednesday after a whirlwind seven-day “fact-finding” tour, those he met are left pondering the report he will file to the central leadership.
On the other hand, they received several clear messages from Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO), they and political watchers told the Post.
To them, the visit was aimed at setting the tone and direction for Hong Kong’s “next stage of development” by focusing on lifting the economy and retaining its international city status, as the spotlight shifts away from national security.
This much was clear during the Beijing official’s 26 meetings that involved a broad swathe of stakeholders, they said.
One key message repeated throughout also was the assurance that the central government would support the city, with more preferential policies on the way.
While at least one attendee said he came away feeling “re-energised”, another said foreign business leaders who were also invited to meet Xia were more likely to take a wait-and-see stance to assess if the sessions bolstered the elite’s confidence in Hong Kong.