https://www.scmp.com/rss/322611/feed In May 2016, Zhang Dejiang became the first state leader from mainland China to visit Hong Kong since then-president Hu Jintao in 2012. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com The country’s vice-president has called on Hong Kong’s civil servants to be mindful of the “overall situation” in the city and stay committed to their duties, a senior local official leading a delegation in Beijing said. Secretary for Civil Service Clement Cheung Wan-ching, leading an 11-member delegation of senior local officials in the capital as part of a “national studies” trip, made the remarks after a 45-minute meeting with Li Yuanchao in the Great Hall of the People on Tuesday. Cheung... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2028858/how-zhang-dejiangs-meeting-hong-kong-delegation-shows-beijings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2028858/how-zhang-dejiangs-meeting-hong-kong-delegation-shows-beijings?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Oct 2016 23:00:15 +0000 A giant pro-democracy banner was draped on Devil’s Peak in Lei Yue Mun on the second anniversary of the Occupy movement. The 6m-long yellow banner, bearing the familiar Hong Kong slogan “I want real universal suffrage”, was hung on the hillside opposite Lei Ye House in Lei Yue Mun estate. League of Social Democrats member Tsang Kin-shing said his group placed the banner there early Wednesday morning. “We don’t want people to forget about the cause,” he said. Hanging pro-democracy banners on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2023271/giant-pro-democracy-banner-draped-hong-kong-hillside-mark?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2023271/giant-pro-democracy-banner-draped-hong-kong-hillside-mark?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Sep 2016 05:00:00 +0000 A member of the League of Social Democrats is seeking a judicial review of a police decision to destroy yellow balloons when the pro-democracy group was on its way to stage a demonstration during Chinese state leader Zhang Dejiang’s Hong Kong visit in May. The claim came two days after aspiring lawmaker Nathan Law Kwun-chung mounted a legal challenge against the force’s move to set up security zones in the city during Zhang’s three-day trip. In a writ filed at the High Court on Wednesday, Chan... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2005609/why-destroy-my-yellow-balloons-hong-kong-activist-seeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2005609/why-destroy-my-yellow-balloons-hong-kong-activist-seeks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Aug 2016 08:00:15 +0000 To hear North Korean defector Do Myung-hak tell it, his fall from grace as a poet to that of a political prisoner was down to nothing more than his passion for his countrymen and a betraying friend. Do, 52, who said he could not help but feel constant sorrow for his fellow citizens before he fled to South Korea, was locked up because he privately wrote about struggles in the North and showed it to a close friend, who, in a cinema-like twist, turned out to be a spy for the authoritarian... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2004134/how-north-korean-defectors-poems-were-considered-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2004134/how-north-korean-defectors-poems-were-considered-more?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Aug 2016 08:45:00 +0000 The door for a long-overdue change in the political relationship was left open when Beijing mapped out the boundaries within which ties with Hong Kong pan-democrats could be improved. On the eve of the day marking the city’s return to Chinese rule, a top mainland official seemed to have extended an olive branch to the pan-democratic camp. But Beijing’s bottom line has also been spelled out at the same time. The members should not interfere with mainland affairs and turn Hong Kong into a source... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1984194/case-better-relations-mainland-stronger-ever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1984194/case-better-relations-mainland-stronger-ever?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Jul 2016 15:06:38 +0000 The man who oversees a key mainland institution on Hong Kong matters has described the city as undergoing a “restless period” with independence advocates emerging but expressed confidence they will fade from the scene and a new generation of politicians will “mature”. Wang Guangya, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs ­Office under the State Council, showed similar empathy as he extended an olive branch towards the city’s pan-democrats. In a rare gesture, he called them “part of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1983637/top-beijing-official-hong-kong-claims-pan-democrats-can?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1983637/top-beijing-official-hong-kong-claims-pan-democrats-can?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jun 2016 09:30:58 +0000 The new chairman of the Law Society sent a clear warning to those attempting to interfere with the courts’ operations but shied away from commenting on the legality of advocating independence for Hong Kong. Meeting the press for the first time after being chosen to lead the solicitors’ body last week, Thomas So Shiu-tsung struck a cautious tone on judicial independence shortly after the city’s chief justice warned of unprecedented ­political and social challenges ­facing the judiciary. “I have... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1975043/new-law-society-head-100pc-confident-hong-kong-courts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1975043/new-law-society-head-100pc-confident-hong-kong-courts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jun 2016 07:31:31 +0000 Former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa has urged Hong Kong’s government and pro-establishment politicians to build a close partnership to overcome the ­failures of an executive-led ­system and solve the city’s myriad problems. Hong Kong’s first leader after its handover to China, and who is now an elder statesman trusted by ­Beijing, made the rallying call ­yesterday, three months ahead of what is expected to be the city’s most fiercely contested Legislative Council election in a ­politically... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1974408/former-chief-executive-tung-chee-hwa-cites-lack-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1974408/former-chief-executive-tung-chee-hwa-cites-lack-party?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Jun 2016 07:15:45 +0000 During National People’s Congress chairman Zhang Dejiang’s (張德江) visit to Hong Kong, all legislators were invited to a welcome dinner. Pan-democratic lawmakers boycotted the event, claiming it did not offer sufficient opportunity for in-depth dialogue. This excuse is laughable. Such an occasion is not intended for dialogue. Pan-democrats were invited because of their constitutional status, not for what they have to say. If they want to start a revolution, they cannot be politicians During the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1968126/hong-kongs-pan-democrats-need-decide-if-they-want-reform-or?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1968126/hong-kongs-pan-democrats-need-decide-if-they-want-reform-or?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jun 2016 08:25:23 +0000 National People’s Congress chairman Zhang Dejiang (張德江) said he was prepared to “see, listen and speak” during his visit to Hong Kong. That seemed true with his apparent olive branch to the pan-democrats, inviting some to a cocktail reception followed by a banquet. Clearly, he was prepared to listen to people holding differing views. Pan-democrats might have complained about the lack of time to express their demands during the reception (they chose not to attend the banquet), but this remarkable... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1960037/zhang-dejiangs-visit-hong-kong-reminder-what-really-matters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1960037/zhang-dejiangs-visit-hong-kong-reminder-what-really-matters?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 May 2016 03:48:14 +0000 Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong ended his whirlwind visit to the city in mid-May, leaving behind much food for thought on the city’s future, especially his frank warning on Hong Kong independence, which took many by surprise. The point here is why was there such a high-profile signal on an issue that he was not even expected to touch on. This was the first time we’ve had a state leader directly voicing out Beijing’s tough stance on independence calls in the city. When news first broke that... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1958555/hard-and-soft-zhang-dejiang-lays-down-line-independence-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1958555/hard-and-soft-zhang-dejiang-lays-down-line-independence-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 May 2016 07:56:49 +0000 Before boarding his plane at Chek Lap Kok, National People’s Congress chairman Zhang Dejiang (張德江) makes one final – and imagined – address to the people of Hong Kong. We can dream. Zhang Dejiang: ‘One country, two systems’ is here to stay (In Cantonese) Friends, countrymen, thank you for your hospitality. (In Putonghua) Forgive me for my poor Cantonese. Cantonese is a national treasure of our Chinese heritage, but despite the many years I spent in Guangdong and, as you now know, my fondness for... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1956380/zhang-dejiang-speech-hong-kong-had-hoped-hear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1956380/zhang-dejiang-speech-hong-kong-had-hoped-hear?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 May 2016 04:01:23 +0000 Few could have guessed that Zhang Dejiang’s (張德江) visit to Hong Kong would be so quickly and amateurishly soured, such that I wonder whether Zhang and the rest of the leading “grandpas” in Beijing are fuming inside or laughing out loud. Zhang’s visit was obviously momentous – he came to set some things straight in the right conciliatory tone at a critical time amid deteriorating Hong Kong-Beijing relations. Obviously, Beijing considered delivering that message of utmost importance, and was not... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1956357/loose-cannons-not-talk-hong-kong-independence-or-shady?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1956357/loose-cannons-not-talk-hong-kong-independence-or-shady?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 May 2016 03:02:08 +0000 Hong Kong’s pan-democrats should respond to the olive branch extended by state leader Zhang Dejiang in his three-day visit to the city last week with “goodwill and sincerity”, a commentator of the Communist Party’s mouthpiece wrote on Thursday. In an article in the overseas edition of People’s Daily, Wang Yao also said Zhang had made it clear that it was unlawful to advocate Hong Kong independence. The stance should be seen as “ringing an alarm bell for troublemakers in Hong Kong”, Wang... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1955408/hong-kongs-pan-democrats-urged-respond-sincerity-state?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1955408/hong-kongs-pan-democrats-urged-respond-sincerity-state?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 May 2016 10:10:15 +0000 The big deal of the week was state leader Zhang Dejiang’s visit here. This high-ranking Politburo Standing Committee official, responsible for policies over Hong Kong, declared on arrival that he had come “to see, to listen and to speak”. The simplicity of this statement went down well and set the right tone for his visit. Speak Zhang did. In his keynote address at the “One Belt, One Road” summit, he outlined the vital role this city could play in supporting the Chinese initiative to connect... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1955278/second-thought-chinese-leadership-needs-go-extra-mile-after-zhang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1955278/second-thought-chinese-leadership-needs-go-extra-mile-after-zhang?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 May 2016 08:51:27 +0000 Whenever central government officials comment on Hong Kong’s judiciary, they court controversy. State leader Zhang Dejiang’s (張德江) remarks about the rule of law during his brief visit to the city last week were no exception. The speeches he made in Hong Kong were generally well received and moderate in tone. Zhang, chairman of the National People’s Congress, did not shy away from sensitive topics and stressed the importance of adhering to the “one country, two systems” concept. He made a point... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1952585/hong-kongs-judges-must-remain-above-fray-should-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1952585/hong-kongs-judges-must-remain-above-fray-should-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 May 2016 08:26:51 +0000 The police force snubbed its watchdog’s suggestion to allow press and protesters closer to state leader Zhang Dejiang rather than placing them in a remote zone during his three-day visit last week, the Post has learned. But the chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC), Larry Kwok Lam-kwong, said the recommendation was based on the situation five years ago, which “might not be practicable now”. A member of the council, angered by Kwok’s response, accused him of turning the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1952260/hong-kong-police-watchdog-chief-under-fire-force-snubbed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1952260/hong-kong-police-watchdog-chief-under-fire-force-snubbed?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 May 2016 01:00:30 +0000 Beijing will use only law and public opinion but not force to handle the pro-independence drive in Hong Kong, says Basic Law Committee member Maria Tam Wai-chu. The development came a day after Basic Law Committee vice-chairman Zhang Rongshun was quoted by pro-Beijing barrister Lawrence Ma Yan-kwok as saying that the Chinese government would be able to handle the issue with “guns and cannons” if activists gathered enough strength to make Hong Kong an independent state. Beijing ‘has the laws,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1950931/beijing-will-use-law-and-public-opinion-handle-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1950931/beijing-will-use-law-and-public-opinion-handle-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 May 2016 12:16:48 +0000 City traffic returns to normal. But we are still trying to decipher what Beijing really means when they want Hong Kong to cooperate with them on the Belt and Road strategy. As a former officer in the World Bank Group, I have worked in and visited all of the Belt and Road countries financing public infrastructure and poverty alleviation projects. No Hong Kong company has the necessary skill set to meaningfully sustain an operation in those countries. Hong Kong’s property developers will find that... https://www.scmp.com/business/global-economy/article/1950407/why-people-hong-kong-scoff-chinas-grandiose-belt-and-road?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/global-economy/article/1950407/why-people-hong-kong-scoff-chinas-grandiose-belt-and-road?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 May 2016 06:24:39 +0000 I love the 1979 song Below the Lion Rock as much as, if not more than, the next person, but I’ll be damned if I want to hear it recited again. It was heartwarming, back in the day – in the spring of 2002 – when then financial secretary Antony Leung Kam-chung closed his budget with that song. It was very cool when then premier Zhu Rongji (朱鎔基) did it later that year. Using what has become Hong Kong’s unofficial anthem to communicate with the people struck all the right chords. But, more than a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1948687/enough-lion-rock-refrain-can-hong-kong-and-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1948687/enough-lion-rock-refrain-can-hong-kong-and-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 May 2016 05:30:55 +0000 The Chinese government would respond with “guns and cannons” if activists gathered enough strength to make Hong Kong an independent state, a Beijing-based legal expert said yesterday. The remarks came two days after National People’s Congress chairman Zhang Dejiang (張德江) dismissed calls for self-determination and independence as “unfeasible” and not acceptable “to the vast majority of Hongkongers”, shortly before he concluded a three-day visit to the city. Pro-Beijing barrister Lawrence Ma... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1949427/beijing-has-laws-guns-and-cannons-prevent-independence-legal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1949427/beijing-has-laws-guns-and-cannons-prevent-independence-legal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 May 2016 09:15:15 +0000 Authorities across the border are working on a short trip to Shenzhen for Hong Kong lawmakers, according to a mainland source, following the groundbreaking meeting between four pan-democrats and visiting state leader Zhang Dejiang on Wednesday. This comes as an academic at a Beijing-backed think tank and some pan-democrats said they were hopeful there would be further dialogue between the two sides. Hong Kong pan-democrats say Zhang Dejiang agreed to more direct talks The source said the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1948789/another-olive-branch-hong-kong-lawmakers-may-be-invited?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1948789/another-olive-branch-hong-kong-lawmakers-may-be-invited?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 May 2016 13:03:18 +0000 I would like to take this opportunity to talk from the heart about my views on “one country, two systems” and issues related to Hong Kong. These could be summarised in three points. The first is: Do not forget the original intent so that we can achieve the ultimate goal. When Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平) first proposed the “one country, two systems” concept as a way to resolve the historic issues related to Hong Kong, what he meant was to resume the power to exercise sovereignty over Hong Kong yet retain... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1948438/zhang-dejiang-one-country-two-systems-here-stay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1948438/zhang-dejiang-one-country-two-systems-here-stay?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 May 2016 09:04:28 +0000 Five young activists, including Joshua Wong Chi-fung, were released on bail late Thursday night after getting arrested as they attempted to get close to state leader Zhang Dejiang’s motorcade on Thursday, the last day of the state leader’s visit to Hong Kong. The five Demosisto members said the arrests were clearly politically motivated, criticising also that the force had raided their homes to collect evidence. “We think the arrests are political arrests. The police have abused their power,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1948360/joshua-wong-and-four-other-demosisto-activists-released?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1948360/joshua-wong-and-four-other-demosisto-activists-released?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 May 2016 02:45:00 +0000 Beijing’s third highest-ranking official, Zhang Dejiang, was given a warm welcome by the city’s top officials during the three-day visit, but shops and restaurants near his hotel in Wan Chai felt the chill. Some shops and restaurants inside Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre were forced to suspend services for a day when the state leader gave a 20-minute keynote speech at a forum on Wednesday. Two trade fairs – which were scheduled to take place at same venue as Zhang’s speech – were... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1948040/hong-kong-businesses-suffer-amid-tight-security-during-zhang-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1948040/hong-kong-businesses-suffer-amid-tight-security-during-zhang-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 May 2016 00:02:36 +0000 State leader Zhang Dejiang navigated a fine line when commenting on Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s performance during his three-day visit that ended on Thursday, observers said. With only 10 months until the chief executive election, every ­remark about Leung made by ­Beijing’s third-highest official came under close scrutiny. In some quarters, his words ­affirming Leung’s achievements in facilitating the city’s economic and social development sparked speculation that they equalled... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1948042/zhang-navigated-fine-line-cys-performance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1948042/zhang-navigated-fine-line-cys-performance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2016 16:03:57 +0000 Four pan-democrats were treated with rare warmth by Beijing this week; they engaged with the country’s third-highest-ranking official, Zhang Dejiang, who assured them that further dialogue would follow their meeting. But the pan-democratic camp is now wrestling with the question of whether there will be a price to pay for such a relationship. Forging a friendship with the central government, say analysts, could force them into a tight situation between a rock and a hard place – at risk of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1948008/ball-beijings-court-hong-kong-pan-democrats-say-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1948008/ball-beijings-court-hong-kong-pan-democrats-say-after?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2016 15:37:26 +0000 The tactics and gear used by the mysterious VIP Protection Unit and the Hong Kong police during the visit of state leader Zhang Dejiang have been revealed to the Post by a police source. With the security level of the Beijing’s third highest-ranking official raised to the maximum, the police had sent up to an unprecedented 8,000 officers to protect him during his trip to Hong Kong. Elite officers from the VIP Protection Unit, formerly known as G4, one of the prime teams of the force, escorted... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1947967/elite-officers-machine-guns-disguised-briefcases-and-45?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1947967/elite-officers-machine-guns-disguised-briefcases-and-45?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2016 14:15:00 +0000 The distinction made by Beijing’s third highest-ranking official between localism and independence was striking, according to analysts who weighed in on Zhang Dejiang’s warning against calls for self-determination. On Thursday, before leaving, Zhang said for a second time that Hong Kong was “doomed to be rotten” and everyone would pay a price if locals focused not on economic development but street politics. “Things like self-determination or Hong Kong independence would not gain any momentum at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1947932/loyalty-card-state-leaders-soft-take-localism-during-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1947932/loyalty-card-state-leaders-soft-take-localism-during-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2016 13:17:58 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/photos/today-photos/article/1947455/pictures-10-top-moments-zhang-dejiangs-hong-kong-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/photos/today-photos/article/1947455/pictures-10-top-moments-zhang-dejiangs-hong-kong-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2016 12:19:29 +0000 Members of the public have expressed outrage at the traffic gridlock caused by security measures for visiting state leader Zhang Dejiang on Thursday. Major traffic arteries were temporarily shut or diverted to give way to the passage of Zhang’s motorcade, a move police insisted was necessary to ensure his safety. The closure of Connaught Road Central, Gloucester Road and Kwun Tong Bypass paralysed morning rush-hour traffic on both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, as the official who oversees Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1947415/hong-kong-commuters-outraged-traffic-disruption-during?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1947415/hong-kong-commuters-outraged-traffic-disruption-during?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2016 09:52:07 +0000 A state-run newspaper said Beijing was not bound to accept the pan-democrats’ view that the chief executive should be removed, a day after state leader Zhang Dejiang met four lawmakers from the camp. An editorial published in the Global Times on Thursday also described Zhang’s cocktail meeting with the pan-democrats as a “breakthrough”. The four lawmakers told reporters they had demanded the ouster of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, saying he was unable to unite Hong Kong. Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1947287/beijing-not-bound-accept-pan-democrats-demand-oust-cy-leung?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1947287/beijing-not-bound-accept-pan-democrats-demand-oust-cy-leung?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2016 06:54:40 +0000 Another giant yellow banner bearing the words “I want genuine universal suffrage” was unfurled during state leader Zhang Dejiang’s visit, this time on the face of a residential building next to an elderly centre the state leader toured on Thursday. League of Social Democrats chairman Avery Ng Man-yuen confirmed the banner was hung by his party and said it did so to tell the National People’s Congress chairman that Hong Kong residents were not as satisfied with the government as officials here... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1947262/parting-gift-hong-kong-activists-unfurl-another-yellow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1947262/parting-gift-hong-kong-activists-unfurl-another-yellow?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2016 05:13:38 +0000 Visiting state leader Zhang Dejiang warned everyone would have to pay the price if Hong Kong became chaotic, in a 20-minute speech to more than 220 representatives from various sectors at the government headquarters this morning. “We are all in the same boat. If Hong Kong does well, everyone would benefit. If Hong Kong becomes chaotic, everyone has to ‘mai dan’,” said Zhang, using the Cantonese term for footing the bill. The state leader, who chairs the National People’s Congress Standing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1947240/everyone-will-have-foot-bill-if-hong-kong-becomes-chaotic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1947240/everyone-will-have-foot-bill-if-hong-kong-becomes-chaotic?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2016 04:45:00 +0000 Zhang Dejiang (張德江), chairman of the National People’s Congress, said he is in Hong Kong to “see, listen and speak”. In addition to addressing a forum on “One Belt, One Road”, Zhang said he would listen to “all sectors of society” on “what recommendations and requirements they have” regarding the implementation of “one country, two systems”. Zhang offers olive branch, but stands solidly versus notion of Hong Kong independence Given the unprecedented security by Hong Kong police for Zhang’s visit... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1947217/overzealous-security-measures-zhang-dejiang-are-barriers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1947217/overzealous-security-measures-zhang-dejiang-are-barriers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2016 03:13:16 +0000 The state leader overseeing Hong Kong affairs last night extended an olive branch to those in the city holding views that differed from Beijing’s, even as he stood firm on thorny issues such as Hong Kong independence. Zhang Dejiang said it was inevitable that some problems had emerged in the implementation of the “one country, two systems” formula but expressed confidence all issues could be resolved with wisdom. Referring to the rise of localism, Zhang said it was natural for people to be... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1947198/zhang-offers-olive-branch-stands-solidly-versus-notion-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1947198/zhang-offers-olive-branch-stands-solidly-versus-notion-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 May 2016 17:12:25 +0000 Everyone is equal before the law in Hong Kong and no offenders can escape punishment for transgressions no matter what reason they might have, China’s third highest-ranking official said in a passing mention of his views on the city’s judiciary yesterday. The comment was made at a dinner gathering on the second day of Zhang Dejiang’s tour and came against the backdrop of the Mong Kok riot that shook the city to the core in February. The former British colony, which inherited the common law... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1947180/law-breakers-must-not-escape-punishment-state-leader-tells?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1947180/law-breakers-must-not-escape-punishment-state-leader-tells?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 May 2016 15:01:55 +0000 Beijing’s third-highest ­official has assured Hong Kong that it will not lose its identity or autonomy to become just another city in China, but warned against independence moves ­. In an unexpectedly forthcoming and wide-ranging speech during a banquet in his honour on Wednesday night, visiting state leader Zhang Dejiang tried to ease fears about the erosion of the “one country, two systems” policy ­governing Hong Kong. Zhang offers olive branch, but stands solidly versus notion of Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1947170/you-wont-lose-your-identity-zhang-dejiang-assures-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1947170/you-wont-lose-your-identity-zhang-dejiang-assures-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 May 2016 13:00:30 +0000 Another yellow banner bearing the familiar pro-democracy phrase “I want genuine universal suffrage” was draped on a slope in Kowloon on Wednesday, making it the fourth “souvenir” the League of Social Democrats presented to state leader Zhang Dejiang for his visit to Hong Kong. “The aim is to show Hongkongers’ determination in fighting for freedom and democracy,” the league wrote on its official Facebook page on Wednesday. It urged Zhang to “stop pretending to be blind”. The yellow banner, put up... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946776/another-yellow-banner-slope-near-hong-kong-housing-estate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946776/another-yellow-banner-slope-near-hong-kong-housing-estate?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 May 2016 09:50:00 +0000 Beijing is going all out to bring Hong Kong on board its “One Belt, One Road” trade strategy, with the nation’s third-highest-ranking leader identifying four key areas for the city to focus on. In his keynote speech yesterday at the Belt and Road Summit, Zhang Dejiang highlighted the professional sectors, financial services, “people-to-people exchanges” and cooperation with the mainland on developing businesses along the land and sea routes connecting China with the rest of Eurasia. It was the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946655/first-time-zhang-dejiang-spells-out-how-hong-kong-can-seize?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946655/first-time-zhang-dejiang-spells-out-how-hong-kong-can-seize?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 May 2016 02:45:15 +0000 Hong Kong police went a step further with their massive security operation and deployed nearly one third of their manpower to protect Zhang Dejiang on Wednesday, the Post has learned. While the 8,000 officers on duty far outnumbered protesters on the streets, the League of Social Democrats still managed to hang another giant yellow banner calling for “genuine universal suffrage” in Kowloon and release a balloon near the restricted zone in Wan Chai. In keynote speech, Zhang Dejiang highlights... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946643/were-now-counterterrorism-operation-hong-kong-police-deploy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946643/were-now-counterterrorism-operation-hong-kong-police-deploy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 May 2016 01:45:15 +0000 Hong Kong put on a rapturous official welcome for Zhang Dejiang on Tuesday while police kept guerilla-style protests at bay as the state leader began his three-day visit to the city by endorsing Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s leadership as “satisfactory”. It was all smiles when Zhang stepped off his plane at midday, as a beaming Leung and his top cabinet members laid out the red carpet for the chairman of the National People’s Congress. In his opening remarks at the airport, Beijing’s top... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946630/smiles-one-side-protests-other-zhang-dejiang-arrives-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946630/smiles-one-side-protests-other-zhang-dejiang-arrives-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 May 2016 15:45:30 +0000 Last year, Christmas came early for Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying. At a meeting with the media after his visit to Beijing, he beamed as he switched from English to Mandarin to repeat how President Xi Jinping “fully endorsed” his work. And yesterday Zhang Dejiang, the third highest-ranking official in China, dished out more praise but also gave Leung cause for pause as, according to veteran lawmakers, his choice of adjective seemed less affirming. In a meeting to hear the work performance from... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946624/why-zhang-dejiangs-choice-words-may-worry-hong-kongs-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946624/why-zhang-dejiangs-choice-words-may-worry-hong-kongs-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 May 2016 15:10:09 +0000 As a “souvenir” for state leader Zhang Dejiang, a giant yellow banner declaring, “I want genuine universal suffrage” was draped over a steep slope on Beacon Hill on Tuesday morning. It was right next to the iconic Lion Rock, where police officers had been stationed since Monday to prevent exactly that kind of protest, meant to embarrass Zhang. Firefighters arrived soon after, abseiling down the rock face to remove the 10-metre-long banner, a familiar symbol of the Occupy movement that paralysed... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946618/hong-kongs-pro-democracy-groups-drape-banners-hills-zhang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946618/hong-kongs-pro-democracy-groups-drape-banners-hills-zhang?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 May 2016 14:33:41 +0000 Seeing, listening and speaking – with these three words, China’s third-ranking official Zhang Dejiang who touched down in Hong Kong late Tuesday morning summed up his agenda for his three-day visit to the city. In a conciliatory set of remarks delivered on the tarmac upon his arrival on an Air China flight at 11.45 am, Zhang said he would listen to “all sectors of society” on “what recommendations and requirements they have” regarding the implementation of ‘one country, two systems’ and on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946145/zhang-dejiang-says-hes-hong-kong-see-listen-and-speak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946145/zhang-dejiang-says-hes-hong-kong-see-listen-and-speak?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 May 2016 05:15:15 +0000 A giant yellow banner bearing the words “I want genuine universal suffrage” was draped on Beacon Hill early Tuesday, despite police keeping the area under guard overnight to prevent exactly that from happening before state leader Zhang Dejiang’s arrival in the city today. The League of Social Democrats’ vice-chairman Raphael Wong Ho-ming said the group prepared the banner bearing the pro-democracy phrase and asked volunteers to drape it on the hill in Lion Rock Country Park. Wong said the move... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946093/souvenir-zhang-dejiang-big-yellow-pro-democracy-banner-atop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946093/souvenir-zhang-dejiang-big-yellow-pro-democracy-banner-atop?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 May 2016 02:45:15 +0000 Hong Kong police made a last-ditch security sweep in Wan Chai on Tuesday morning in preparation for state leader Zhang Dejiang’s visit, diving into Victoria Harbour to ensure that no explosives were planted at the waterfront area. The force put in place counterterrorism measures to ensure the safety of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee chairman, set to mobilise 6,000 officers each day of the state leader’s three-day visit. On Tuesday morning, government workers scrambled to fill... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946084/flying-tigers-check-victoria-harbour-explosives-ahead-zhang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946084/flying-tigers-check-victoria-harbour-explosives-ahead-zhang?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 May 2016 02:30:56 +0000 Q1. Who is Zhang Dejiang? Zhang, 69, ranks third on the all-powerful Standing Committee of the Communist Party’s Politburo, just below President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang. He chairs the National People’s Congress, China’s legislature, and has earned a reputation as an “iron-fisted enforcer”. Zhang also heads the party’s leading group on Hong Kong and Macau affairs, which comprises the heads of 18 ministries and departments and oversees matters relating to the two special administrative... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1945670/five-key-questions-about-senior-chinese-official-zhang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1945670/five-key-questions-about-senior-chinese-official-zhang?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 May 2016 01:00:39 +0000 Hong Kong police on Tuesday are mounting their biggest security operation yet for a visiting state leader, with the risk level at its highest, as more than a dozen groups hold protests and radical activists keep their action plans secret. More than 6,000 police officers will throw a security blanket around Zhang Dejiang that will move around the city with him and which has even been extended to the top of Lion Rock, where officers are camped out to prevent protesters hanging massive banners that... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946070/security-operation-full-swing-hong-kong-gets-ready-host?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1946070/security-operation-full-swing-hong-kong-gets-ready-host?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 May 2016 15:30:15 +0000 Police will break overhead drones by jamming their signals if they go anywhere near state leader Zhang Dejiang during his visit to the city, the Post has learned. The revelation came after Shenzhen police busted a drone plot on Sunday, two days ahead of Zhang’s arrival. Officers there alleged that the former lawmaker Tsang Kin-shing, now a member of the League of Social Democrats, ordered a drone from the mainland and used it to disrupt Zhang’s visit. But Tsang said it was for a different... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1946061/hong-kong-police-plan-jam-drones-during-china-state-leader?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1946061/hong-kong-police-plan-jam-drones-during-china-state-leader?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 May 2016 14:45:15 +0000