[Xia Baolong Palm Hong Kong and Macao Office] What's the matter? First anniversary of Zhang Xiaoming's replacement

Politics

Written by: Ruimin Zhai

2020-02-14 07:00

The State Council announced on the 13th that Xia Baolong, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, concurrently served as director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office. Zhang Xiaoming was removed from the post and re-appointed deputy director (director-level) responsible for daily work.

The change is that after Wang Zhimin was removed from the post of director of the China United Nations Affairs Office at the beginning of the year, a long-term Hong Kong affairs official was reassigned. Zhang Xiaoming, who has been involved in Hong Kong and Macao affairs since 1986, has served as the director of the China United Nations Office and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office. He can be described as the "veteran" in this field, and his comments have always been "hot", including once he has publicly stated that the position of the chief executive is transcendent and overrides the administrative , Legislative and judicial organs.

Zhang Xiaoming, 56, has worked in the Hong Kong and Macau Liaison System for many years. (Profile picture / Photo by Huang Yongjun)

The State Council announced on February 13 that Xia Baolong took over the post of Director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, and Zhang Xiaoming was transferred to Deputy Director. Coincidentally, on February 13, 2019, the Hong Kong Government announced amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, and launched a 20-day public consultation on the following day, February 14. prelude.

The personnel changes of Zhang Xiaoming and the former director of the China Central Affairs Office, Wang Zhimin, have always been considered to be related to this storm of revisions, triggering the central government to adjust its thinking on Hong Kong and its determination to reform the Hong Kong and Macao work system. From this perspective, Zhang Xiaoming's detour in the career path is being buried by the Hong Kong Government at the moment when he announced the amendment to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance.

In the face of the umbrella movement, Zhang Xiaoming said that "the sun rises as usual", which has been hotly debated by netizens. (Online picture)

Zhang Xiaoming, 56, has worked in the liaison system for Hong Kong and Macau for many years. He has been the secretary of the Hong Kong and Macau Office since 1986. He has participated in the work of the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group and has a long history with Hong Kong. He is the main official responsible for Hong Kong affairs for a long time. The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office has been promoted step by step, and has served as the director of the Policy Research Department, the director of the Comprehensive Department, and the deputy director of the office.

In 2012, Liang Zhenying was elected Chief Executive, and Zhang Xiaoming also became the number one in Hong Kong and Macao working units. In December of the same year, he was appointed to head the Hong Kong China United Office and entered the Hong Kong and Macao Work Coordination Group of the CPC Central Committee. In 2017, Zhang was transferred back to the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office. This time, he succeeded Wang Guangya as the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office. He has a greater say in Hong Kong and Macau affairs.

As a representative of the central government in Hong Kong, Zhang Xiaoming's remarks have always been controversial. When he met with the Democrats in 2014 as the director of the China Joint Office, the street worker Liang Yaozhong asked Li Zhuoren, then the chairman of the Labor Party and the branch association, whether he could be a candidate for the chief executive under the principle of "ending the one-party dictatorship and building a democratic China." People, Zhang Xiaoming responded that Liang Yaozhong "still sat here safely, reflecting our generosity." It is central tolerance that the one-country, two-system sub-council can still survive and operate in Hong Kong.

In 2015, Zhang Xiaoming stated that the Chief Executive "has a special legal status that transcends the executive, legislative and judicial organs." (Profile picture / Photo by Jiang Zhixuan)

In October of the same year, an umbrella movement lasting 79 days broke out in Hong Kong. Zhang Xiaoming was affected by the demonstrators when he attended the National Day Cocktail Reception. When asked by reporters, how did he feel? Zhang Xiaoming pointed with his index finger to the sky and said, "The sun rises as usual." Has been hotly debated by netizens.

When Zhang Xiaoming attended the 25th Anniversary of the Enactment of the Hong Kong Basic Law in 2015, he stated that the Chief Executive "has the dual headship and dual accountability responsibilities, which makes the Chief Executive a special superior to the executive, legislative and judicial organs. "Legal status", and refers to the fact that Hong Kong has not implemented any political system of separation of powers before and after the reunification, which has caused a round of fierce debate in society. The Bar Association issued a statement refuting that the "Basic Law" clearly defined the relationship and rights and responsibilities of the three powers. Zhang Xiaoming's description of "transcendence over the three organs" was inevitably interpreted as the chief executive "overriding the three powers." The public worries are deeply regrettable, and Zhang Xiaoming is urged to clarify as soon as possible. In response to the media's question, then Chief Executive Liang Zhenying echoed that the status of the Chief Executive was "really transcendent."

Zhang Xiaoming, the director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, wrote in the People's Daily that Hong Kong has not yet completed Article 23 of the Basic Law, which is one of the main reasons for the increasing activities of local radical separation forces such as "Hong Kong independence" in recent years. (Photo / Photo by Zhang Haowei)

Last year, Hong Kong experienced a storm of anti-revision laws. Zhang Xiaoming, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, wrote in the People's Daily, pointing out that Hong Kong has not yet completed Article 23 of the Basic Law. It is a continuous activity of local radical separation forces such as "Hong Kong independence" in recent years. One of the main reasons for the intensification, the establishment and improvement of the legal system and enforcement mechanism for maintaining national security have become prominent issues and urgent tasks before the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and people from all walks of life. Chen Shuzhuang, a member of the Citizens' Legislative Council, criticized the remarks as "coming on fire."

When Chief Executive Lin Zheng Yue'e went to Beijing to report his work late last year, he did not meet with Zhang Xiaoming as usual, but met with Vice Premier Han Zheng, who is in charge of Hong Kong and Macao affairs. At that time, outsiders had speculated whether the central government would make personnel transfers to Hong Kong officials.

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