The chief executive-designate, Li Jiachao, was in Beijing yesterday (30th) to first receive a letter of appointment as the chief executive from Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council, and was received by President Xi Jinping in the afternoon.
In response to the epidemic, Li Jiachao's trip to Beijing was managed in a closed loop, and he returned to Hong Kong this afternoon to summarize the itinerary. In terms of meeting pomp and speeches by leaders, it can be seen that the situation is different from that of the previous chief executives. Some of them may be the central government's visit to Hong Kong in the next few years. the focus of the policy.
1. There is no handshake when the central officials reduce the "social distance" at the same venue?
When Li Jiachao met with Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, the officials at the meeting were different from those in the past.
When Li Jiachao was received by Li Keqiang in the morning, Han Zheng, Vice Premier of the State Council in charge of Hong Kong and Macao affairs, State Councilor Xiao Jie and Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office Xia Baolong were present.
During Li Jiachao's meeting with Xi Jinping in the afternoon, Han Zheng and Xia Baolong attended the meeting.
Referring to the previous arrangement, in 2017, when Lin Zhengyue went to Beijing as the chief executive-designate and was received by Xi Jinping, Zhang Dejiang, then chairman of the National People's Congress (who was in charge of Hong Kong and Macao affairs at the time), Li Yuanchao, then vice-president, and Li Zhanshu, then director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee. , then State Councilor Yang Jiechi; during the meeting with Li Keqiang, Yang Jiechi and another then State Councilor Yang Jing were present.
Therefore, when the chief executive-designate of this year was received by the president of the state, the number of officials at the same meeting was smaller than that of the previous term.
In addition, shaking hands is a very symbolic act in politics.
In 2017, when Carrie Lam came to Beijing as the chief executive-designate, she shook hands with Xi Jinping; in 2012, when then-chief executive-designate Leung Chun-ying met with then-President Hu Jintao, she also shook hands with each other.
However, when Li Jiachao met and took a group photo with the two central leaders, he did not shake hands with each other.
In addition, during the face-to-face conversation between Carrie Lam and Xi Jinping in Beijing last year, the distance between the two was only about two steps away; this time, Li Jiachao and Xi Jinping were far away, and it is unknown whether it was affected by the epidemic. distance.
The venue for meeting with Xi Jinping has also changed from the previous Zhongnanhai to the Diaoyutai State Guest House.
▼In the past, when the chief executive-designate met with the leaders▼
2. With the addition of "full confidence", more emphasis is placed on national security
Listening carefully to the content of the leader's speech to Li Jiachao this time, the content related to national security has increased significantly. Among them, Xi Jinping first praised Li Jiachao, who loves the country and Hong Kong, has a firm stance, and dares to take responsibility. Be responsible and contribute.
A person familiar with national conditions said that after experiencing what happened in Hong Kong in the past few years, the central government has clearly attached more importance to national security than before, and the change in the content of the speech is also expected.
In addition, when past chief executives or chief executives-designate go to Beijing to meet leaders, the standard statement of leaders is to "fully affirm" the work of the chief executive and fully support the SAR government in governing according to law, and then express the central government's expectations for the SAR government.
This time Xi Jinping mentioned the word "full trust" in Li Jiachao, which was not mentioned by the leaders at least during the last two chief executives-designate visits to Beijing.
3. Reaffirming "full governance"
Since the White Paper on "One Country, Two Systems" issued by the State Council in 2014, the central government has emphasized the implementation of "comprehensive governance" over Hong Kong, but the leaders did not directly mention this issue when Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor went to Beijing to receive the appointment order.
During Li Keqiang's meeting with Li Jiachao, it showed that the central government will continue to fully and accurately implement the principles of "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong", and a high degree of autonomy.
In the government work report of the two sessions this year, Li Keqiang mentioned for the first time the implementation of the central government's "comprehensive governance power" over the SAR in the section on Hong Kong and Macau, and firmly implemented "patriots ruling Hong Kong".
During Li Jiachao's visit to the Liaison Office the day after he was elected, Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office, also mentioned that he would "continue to promote the implementation of the central government's comprehensive governance over Hong Kong".
According to the analysis of senior pro-establishment factions, after the events of 2019, the central government has become more aware of the importance of implementing "comprehensive governance", and the policy has obviously changed.
Li Keqiang's remarks predict to a certain extent that the central government will have more actual participation in the governance of Hong Kong in the future.
Liu Zhaojia.
(file picture)
Liu Zhaojia: It is a great courtesy to receive an in-person interview even though the epidemic situation in Hong Kong is not under control
Liu Zhaojia, vice-chairman of the National Association for Hong Kong and Macau Studies, believes that Li Jiachao's failure to shake hands with leaders was out of consideration for the epidemic. For example, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi did not shake hands with dignitaries from other countries during his recent visit because of social distancing requirements.
"If it weren't for the epidemic, national leaders would have warmly received Li Jiachao and tried their best to enhance his prestige in the hearts of Hong Kong people."
He also pointed out that it is a great courtesy for the leaders to still meet Li Jiachao at close range even though the epidemic situation in Hong Kong is not completely under control. State dignitaries and UN officials also use video formats more often, and even Lin Zhengyue will switch to video when she reports her work in early 2021, showing that central leaders attach great importance to Li Jiachao.
As for Xi Jinping's inclusion of the word "full trust" in his speech, Liu Zhaojia believes that there is no need to read too much, because the election of the chief executive under the current system has already shown the central government's trust in that person.
Xi's speech blows the wind for political reform?
The non-establishment means that the framework can be modified. The political community expects that Hong Kong-style democracy will not change. Xi Jinping means that the new electoral system must be adhered to for a long time.