The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China envisioned a novel and awe-inspiring blueprint for Chinese style-modernization against the backdrop of a full-scale paradigm shift unseen in a century of global governance. When the Communist Party of China Central Committee reshuffled the Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macao Works following the 20th CPC National Congress, Xia Baolong retained his position as a deputy leader in charge of the organ’s daily work. He also continues to serve as the director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council. Xia’s recent inspection trip to Hong Kong has naturally been taken seriously by Hong Kong society.
Xia gave an important address at the opening ceremony of National Security Education Day on April 15, where he highlighted the need to guard against attempts by the US-led West to interfere in Hong Kong’s affairs.
Washington has beefed up its military support for Taiwan. On April 17, it was reported that the US military had dispatched more than 200 instructors to Taiwan to assist in training and supervising the military on the island. On the same day, Bloomberg revealed that Taiwan would purchase as many as 400 land-launched Harpoon missiles from the US, citing informed sources, and that the US Naval Air Systems Command signed the relevant contract with Boeing on behalf of Taiwan.
Amid worsening geopolitics, US organizations in Hong Kong are likely to continue with their infiltrating activities. The United Kingdom is likely to continue to actively collaborate with Washington in its efforts to contain China, including interference in Hong Kong’s affairs. Xia’s warning against national security threats in Hong Kong, therefore, should be taken seriously by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and all quarters of Hong Kong.
Xia emphasized the need for constructive interaction among the executive, legislative and judicial branches in Hong Kong, and advocated consultative democracy instead of antagonistic democracy
Under such a geopolitical situation, Xia met the representative of some Western business chambers and held discussions with representatives of the mainland enterprises operating in Hong Kong, which is interpreted by some as part of an effort to optimize the city’s capital structure.
READ MORE: Xia wraps up HK inspection tour at HKU, schools
Xia also mentioned the need to transform and upgrade Hong Kong’s industrial structure. He paid great attention to the city’s innovation and technology industry and financial sector during his inspection activities. Conspicuously, the real estate sector was absent from the meetings.
Following the 20th CPC National Congress, Beijing released an institutional reform plan that includes the establishment of the Hong Kong and Macao work office of the CPC Central Committee on the basis of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs of the State Council. The establishment of a new agency directly under the CPC Central Committee is a move to better facilitate the central authorities’ exercise of its overall jurisdiction over the Hong Kong and Macao SARs. Xia’s inspection activities in Hong Kong demonstrated how the central government was strengthening its leadership over the special administrative region.
First, Xia met with key members of the executive, legislative and judiciary branches. His presence at the Legislative Council and the Court of Final Appeal, the first time by a top central government official in charge of the SARs’ affairs, embodies the central government’s jurisdiction over all aspects of HKSAR governance.
Second, Xia met with members of various chambers of commerce, visited universities, secondary schools and primary schools, reviewed the city’s economic performance and investigated people’s livelihoods. This shows the central government’s leadership over the SAR covers all areas of socioeconomic development.
Third, Xia met and held discussions with senior officials of the SAR government, including principal officials, as well as permanent secretaries of all government departments and bureaus, who are the highest-ranking administrative officials. This corroborates the importance the central government attaches to the SAR’s top echelon.
Fourth, Xia also received leaders of patriotic associations when he met with all members of the Executive Council and the Legislative Council, and later on chose to visit a school founded by Annie Wu Suk-ching, a well-known patriotic entrepreneur. This is an outward manifestation of the central government’s emphasis on “patriots administering Hong Kong”.
During his stay in Hong Kong, Xia also met with the leaders of the Bar Association and the Law Society of Hong Kong, a move that revealed the importance the central government attaches to Hong Kong’s common law system.
READ MORE: Xia warns city against external forces' infiltration
Xia emphasized the need for constructive interaction among the executive, legislative and judicial branches in Hong Kong, and advocated consultative democracy instead of antagonistic democracy. This is the key to the smooth and sustainable implementation of “one country, two systems”, as proved by the experience gained from the past 25 years.
Xia's discussion with young financial trainees at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange was a reminder to all sectors of Hong Kong society that young people are the future of Hong Kong’s financial center as well as the city’s future.
To sum up, Xia’s trip indicates the central government is more proactive now in exercising its overall jurisdiction over Hong Kong. The support and guidance he gives to the city’s executive, legislative and judicial organs will help reinforce the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong”, facilitate an optimization of the city’s capital structure and transformation of its industrial structure in response to worsening geopolitics.
The author is a senior research fellow of China Everbright Holdings.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.