Hong Kong is “particularly free and open,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a speech in Hong Kong on Friday. Friday marks 25 years since the city was handed over to China. Xi on Friday praised the role China has played since then. The “one country, two systems” formula, the president said, has “has achieved success in Hong Kong, which is recognized by all.” That formula was announced during the transfer of power from the British Empire to the Chinese; in the fifty years after that handover, Hong Kong would be in a transition phase, with different laws than the rest of ‘mainland China’. The special administrative region got its own constitution, its own currency and continued to operate according to a capitalist system.
The fulfillment of the ‘one country, two systems’ promise has been widely criticized internationally, especially after the crackdown on protests in the city since 2019 and the introduction of a new security law that has curtailed many freedoms in Hong Kong. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a video message on Twitter in honor of the transfer anniversary that “Beijing has not kept its obligations for a long time”. It creates an environment that “threatens the rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers as well as the continued progress and prosperity” of their city.
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Since the introduction of the Security Act, press freedom in Hong Kong has been severely curtailed and political opposition has been made virtually impossible. Many civilians, opposition members and dissidents have been tried and detained under the Security Act. Some fled Hong Kong.
Only candidate
Prior to his speech, Xi swore the new Supreme Leader (chief executive) of Hong Kong. John Lee Ka-chiu, 64, succeeds Carrie Lam. Lee won the election in May, in which he was the only candidate. Beijing had already approved him – Lee is known for being abiding by the Chinese government’s agenda.
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In his speech on Friday, Xi further mentioned the observation that since “its return to the motherland” Hong Kong has been sailing on the “beautiful course of reform” in China. There were also compliments on the way in which social unrest and the corona crisis had been dealt with.