Chinese President Xi Jinping has sworn in new local leader John Lee in Hong Kong at a ceremony celebrating the 25th anniversary of the city’s transfer of power from Britain to China. It is Xi’s first visit to Hong Kong in five years.
In his speech at the ceremony, Xi said there is “no need for change” in Hong Kong, or to change the “one country, two systems” principle by which Hong Kong is governed. The model must therefore be “maintained over the long term,” Xi said. And: everything Beijing does is “for the good of Hong Kong”.
After being sworn in as Hong Kong’s new leader, John Lee said the rule of law is a “fundamental value” to his city. About the new national security law that China imposed on the city in 2020 after the 2019 anti-government protests, Lee said it has brought “stability”.
Strict corona rules apply around Xi’s visit. Parts of Hong Kong have been closed off and leaders in attendance are only allowed to interact with a limited number of people. During Xi’s last visit to Hong Kong five years ago, large-scale demonstrations were still held. That will probably not happen this time, because the penalties for such protests are enormous since the security law.