China's head of state Xi Jinping in Hong Kong: "The goal is to completely control the city"
Created: 06/30/2022, 17:34
By: Sven Hauberg
Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan (right) were received in Hong Kong by Prime Minister Carrie Lam and her husband Lam Siu-por.
© Ju Peng/Imago
Hong Kong has been part of China again for 25 years, and President Xi Jinping has now traveled to the celebrations.
"Millions of people have been handed over to a dictatorship," laments a democracy activist.
Munich/Hong Kong – Xi Jinping has not traveled abroad for more than two years.
Now he has left China for the first time - at least a little: Beijing's state and party leader arrived in Hong Kong by train on Thursday (June 30) to take part in the celebrations marking the city's return to China 25 years ago.
The former British crown colony of Hong Kong has been Chinese again since July 1, 1997. Officially, the city will be governed according to the "one country, two systems" principle until 2047.
That means there are still border controls, Hong Kong has its own currency and legislation.
However, Beijing is becoming increasingly involved in the politics of the financial metropolis.
John Lee, who is scheduled to take office as Hong Kong's new government on Friday, is also a politician by Beijing's grace.
Upon his arrival at West Kowloon Railway Station on Thursday afternoon local time, Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan were greeted by singing elementary school students.
He also met Carrie Lam, who was still hated by large parts of the population, and her designated successor Lee.
"The last time I was in Hong Kong was five years ago," Xi said at the station.
"During these five spring and autumn seasons, I have been paying attention to Hong Kong and thinking about Hong Kong." Xi went on to say that Hong Kong has "risen from the ashes" after the city has "passed one severe test after another" in recent years and "Risks and Challenges" - a euphemism for what the city has had to go through in its recent past.
The history of the People's Republic of China from 1949 to the present
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Hong Kong's return to China: "Millions of people have been handed over to a dictatorship"
When Xi was last in Hong Kong in 2017, the city was different.
Since then, the mass protests of 2019 and 2020 have transformed society: demonstrations against a law that would allow people from Hong Kong to be extradited to the People's Republic of China mobilized millions of citizens.
Drastic measures against the corona pandemic and, above all, a "security law" for Hong Kong passed by Beijing put an end to the democracy movement.
The "security law", which was deliberately formulated very vaguely, punishes terrorist, subversive or separatist behavior - the authorities determine what exactly is meant by this.
Dozens of people have been arrested since then, and freedom of expression and freedom of the press have been significantly restricted.
Of the freedoms that Beijing promised the former British crown colony of Hong Kong at the time of the handover, there is "little left", said the China expert Julia Haes in an interview with
Merkur.de
from
IPPEN.MEDIA
.
"Today, China is no longer keeping these promises," said Haes.
Finn Lau in London in mid-June: The democracy activist is fighting for his hometown of Hong Kong from abroad.
© Hesther Ng/Zuma Wire/Imago
For activist Finn Lau, Hong Kong's handover to China is "one of the biggest mistakes of the past century."
At that time, "millions of people were handed over to a dictatorship," said Lau to
Merkur.de
from
IPPEN.MEDIA
.
Lau, one of the defining figures of the democracy movement, now lives in exile in London.
Xi's visit shows "the Communist Party's drive and aim to fully control Hong Kong."
According to Lau, China has promised Hong Kong in an international treaty that the city's freedom will remain untouched for 50 years.
"But after less than 25 years, China has grossly violated this international treaty while Hong Kong's civil society, rule of law and autonomy have been crushed by the Chinese Communist Party."
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Hong Kong's new prime minister will take office on Friday
Xi, on the other hand, claimed in Hong Kong, "Facts have proved that the principle of 'one country, two systems' is very much alive."
This can "guarantee long-term stability and prosperity in Hong Kong and defend the well-being of Hong Kongers".
Xi first met more than 200 members of Hong Kong's business and political elite at a convention center at the start of his two-day visit, according to the
South China Morning Post
reported.
"His physical presence in Hong Kong reflects his strong faith in Hong Kong amid the Covid-19 epidemic," the newspaper quoted a local politician as saying.
"I believe we will win the battle and reopen the border with the mainland soon." Currently, Hong Kong travelers entering China are subject to the same strict quarantine regulations as those coming from abroad.
On Friday, Xi is expected at the inauguration of John Lee as the new prime minister.
The former police officer and head of security is considered a pro-Beijing hardliner.
At the beginning of May, he was determined by an election committee, the composition of which is largely determined by the government.
There was no opposing candidate.
"It is foreseeable that John Lee will strictly follow Xi's instructions during his tenure, rather than upholding the city's autonomy," said democracy activist Lau.
Xi's visit to Hong Kong takes place amid massive security measures.
Local media reported that the 69-year-old did not want to stay in town.
After a dinner attended by Carrie Lam and John Lee, among others, Xi took the train to neighboring Shenzhen to spend the night.
(sh)