RT.com
01 Jul 2022, 11:43 GMT+10
President Xi Jinping led a swearing-in ceremony as China marked the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover from British rule
Chinese President Xi Jinping has sworn in Hong Kong's new Chief Executive, John Lee, making his first trip outside the mainland since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Lee, a former security official, delivered his inaugural address on Friday, setting out his vision for the territory.
The new government "will enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness and develop the economy," he said, adding that "emphasis will be put on the development of Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub, leveraging and combining the respective strengths of Hong Kong and the Mainland."
Though Xi did not attend a traditional flag-raising event to mark the occasion, he officiated the swearing-in ceremony after arriving in Hong Kong one day prior. The president had not left mainland China since 2019, and his last trip to Hong Kong came in 2017, when he swore in the city's previous leader, Carrie Lam.
Speaking after Lee formally took office, Xi touted Beijing's 'one country, two systems' policy, and pledged to allow some autonomy for the former British colony while keeping it part of China.
"For this kind of good system, there is no reason at all to change it. It must be maintained over the long term," he said.
Friday also marked the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese governance, after more than 150 years of British rule. Though Beijing vowed that Hong Kong would have a form of self-rule and judicial independence for at least 50 years following the handover in 1997, Western leaders have accused China of curtailing that autonomy, particularly with a 2020 national security law passed in the wake of mass protests and rioting.
A former chief of police, Lee is among several senior Hong Kong officials under US sanctions over the law, which he helped to implement. China has rejected criticisms of the legislation, however, with Xi insisting it "restored order from chaos" while preserving residents' "democratic rights."
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Hong Kong Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Hong Kong Herald.
More InformationPARIS, France: French military and intelligence officials have accused China of orchestrating a covert campaign to damage the reputation...
CULVER CITY, California: TikTok is preparing to roll out a separate version of its app for U.S. users, as efforts to secure a sale...
HONG KONG: China has fired back at the European Union in an escalating trade dispute by imposing new restrictions on medical device...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. government has granted GE Aerospace permission to resume jet engine shipments to China's COMAC, a person...
MOSCOW, Russia: This week, Russia became the first country to officially recognize the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan since...
PARIS, France: Fast-fashion giant Shein has been fined 40 million euros by France's antitrust authority over deceptive discount practices...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. and global markets showed a mixed performance in Tuesday's trading session, with some indices edging higher...
PARIS, France: French military and intelligence officials have accused China of orchestrating a covert campaign to damage the reputation...
NEW DELHI, India: Birkenstock is stepping up its efforts to protect its iconic sandals in India, as local legal representatives conducted...
HONG KONG: China has fired back at the European Union in an escalating trade dispute by imposing new restrictions on medical device...
NEW YORK, New York - Monday's trading session saw mixed performances across U.S. and global markets, with several major indices posting...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. government has granted GE Aerospace permission to resume jet engine shipments to China's COMAC, a person...