Words of warning for Hong Kong
Xi says Beijing will not tolerate any challenge to its authority in the territory.
Chinese President Xi Jinping swore in Hong Kong’s new leader yesterday and warned Beijing will not tolerate any challenge to its authority in a strongly worded speech to mark the 20th anniversary of the former British colony’s return to China.
Security was tight at the same harbour-front venue where two decades earlier, the last colonial governor, Chris Patten, tearfully handed back Hong Kong to Beijing at a rain-soaked ceremony.
“Any attempt to endanger China’s sovereignty and security, challenge the power of the central government and the authority of the Basic Law of the HKSAR or use Hong Kong to carry out infiltration and sabotage activities against the mainland is an act that crosses the red line and is absolutely impermissible,” Xi said.
Under Hong Kong’s miniconstitution, the Basic Law, the financial hub is guaranteed its freedoms for “at least 50 years” after 1997. HKSAR stands for the Hong Kong special administrative region, which is run under a “one country, two systems” formula allowing wide-ranging autonomy.
Xi’s words are his strongest yet to the world financial hub and come at a time of heightened social and political tensions and concerns over what some in Hong Kong perceive as increased meddling by Beijing in the city’s affairs.
He was addressing a packed hall of dignitaries and mostly pro-Beijing establishment figures after swearing in Hong Kong’s first female leader, Carrie Lam.
Minor scuffles broke out as prodemocracy activists, some with banners bearing the words “democracy, self-determination”, and proBeijing groups taunted each other, with hundreds of police deployed on a traditional day of protest in Hong Kong. Scores of democracy protesters were taken away by police, while several pro-China groups remained, cheering loudly and waving flags.