He greets a “true democracy”. Xi Jinping traveled to Hong Kong to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its handover to Beijing, Friday, July 1. During a ceremony, which also included the swearing in of the new local chief executive, the Chinese president assured that Beijing had always acted “for the good of Hong Kong”. “After reunification with the motherland, the people of Hong Kong have become masters of their own city”did he declare.
The visit is the Chinese president’s first trip outside mainland China since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is also the first in Hong Kong since the great pro-democracy movement of 2019. The head of state did not participate in the raising of the colors on Friday morning, where under a strong wind, the next chief executive John Lee attended the ceremony led by soldiers in goose step, to the sound of the national anthem.
“A good system”
This day also marks the midpoint of the 50-year period of semi-autonomy, guided by the principle “one country, two systems”, negotiated between London and Beijing. Until 2019, July 1 was an opportunity to demonstrate the freedoms enjoyed by the city, with thousands of residents marching on the sidelines of the celebrations to express their political and social demands. But this procession, like any gathering, has been officially banned by the police for two years for health and safety reasons. According to government critics, the national security law imposed in 2020 by Beijing after the 2019 protests shattered promised freedoms.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also deplored Thursday the“erosion of autonomy” caused by this law in the territory. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised not to “to abandon” Hong Kong. Critics ignored by Xi Jinping who welcomed Friday in his speech the principle “one country, two systems”as “a good system” who “must be maintained in the long term”.
