China’s Xi: No tolerance for subversion
President rebukes Hong Kong activists wanting autonomy
HONG KONG — Chinese President Xi Jinping warned Saturday that any activities in Hong Kong seen as threatening China’s sovereignty and stability would be “absolutely impermissible,” employing some of his harshest language yet against burgeoning separatist sentiment in the territory.
In a speech marking 20 years since the city became a semiautonomous Chinese region after its handover from Britain, Xi pledged Beijing’s support for the “one country, two systems” blueprint, under which Hong Kong controls many of its own affairs and retains civil liberties including free speech.
However, he said Hong Kong had to do more to shore up security and boost patriotic education, in a veiled reference to legislation long-delayed by popular opposition.
And he appeared to put on notice a new wave of activists pushing for more autonomy or even independence, saying challenges to the power of China’s central government and Hong Kong’s leaders wouldn’t be tolerated.
Any attempt to challenge China’s sovereignty, security and government authority 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, moments after presiding over the inauguration of Hong Kong’s new leader, Carrie Lam.
Hong Kong has been roiled by political turmoil that brought tens of thousands of protesters onto the streets in 2014 demanding democratic reforms. Those calls were ignored by Beijing, and Xi indicated there would be no giving ground in the future, frustrating many young people.
“Making everything political or deliberately creating differences and provoking confrontations will not resolve the problems,” Xi said, adding that Hong Kong “cannot afford to be torn apart by reckless moves or internal rifts.”
Hours after Xi flew home to Beijing, thousands of pro-democracy supporters gathered for a march through the city’s shopping and financial districts to demand greater political openness and to oppose China’s creeping influence in their city.
Young activists have formed new groups promoting independence or a local Hong Kong identity separate from the mainland, alarming Beijing.
Meanwhile, incidents such as the secret detentions of five Hong Kong booksellers on the mainland have stirred fears that Beijing is undermining the “one country, two systems” blueprint.
Xi’s speech “was a mixture of reassurance and warning,” as he signaled that the system in place since 1997 won’t change, said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, an expert on Chinese politics at Hong Kong Baptist University. “At the same time, there was a strong warning to the localists and the pro-independence people.”
Cabestan said it was clear that Xi’s priority is for Lam to revive efforts to bring in long-delayed national security legislation, which pro-democracy activists fear will be used to suppress dissent.
Organizers estimated the number of participants at 60,000, about half of last year’s figure. The pro-democracy movement lost considerable momentum after Beijing turned a cold shoulder to the 2014 protests. Police estimated that 14,500 took part, down about 5,000 from their estimate last year.
Many participants said they were marching in support of imprisoned Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, who has been diagnosed with latestage liver cancer. Liu’s face was featured on countless signs held aloft by marchers who called on China to release him to seek treatment abroad.