Xi Jinping: Hong Kong was reborn through fire

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Hong Kong today for the celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the former British colony returning to Chinese rule and the swearing-in ceremony of the new metropolitan governor.

Xi’s high-speed train visit is the first in the city since 2017 and his first known trip outside mainland China in more than two years amid the COVID-19 epidemic.

Accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Xi got off the train wearing a mask, where he was greeted by students holding flags and flowers, as well as dancers dressed in lion costumes and some accredited journalists. Outgoing Hong Kong Prime Minister Kari Lam and her husband were among those who welcomed Xi to the train station.

“Hong Kong has endured severe trials over and over again, overcoming challenges one by one,” the Chinese president said on arrival. “After the storms, Hong Kong is being reborn through fire.”

The city streets were decorated with red Chinese flags and banners with slogans for a “new era” of stability. “It is unnecessary and excessive,” Chan, 26, who lives in one of the workers’ housing complexes with flags, told AFP.

Authorities deployed strong security forces around the train station where Xi arrived and conducted checks, with some police officers accompanied by specially trained dogs.

Details of the official, full schedule of Xi’s visit have not yet been announced. The Hong Kong Meteorological Agency issued a hurricane warning late Wednesday, but it was unclear whether the events would be affected.

During his previous visit to the metropolis, Xi had warned against any actions that endanger China’s sovereignty and had stated that Hong Kong needed to strengthen its national security regime.

In 2019, millions of Hong Kong residents protested against growing Chinese sovereignty, which in turn led Beijing to enact a sweeping national security law that makes illegal acts such as incitement and even punishable by life imprisonment.

While tens of thousands of protesters marched during that Xi visit five years ago, no mobilizations are expected this year.

Louis Kamo-ho, a high-ranking police officer, warned this week against any “acts of violence or disturbance of public order”. According to the police, whose ranks include more than 30,000 police officers, all forces will be deployed to ensure security at the festivities.

Police cordoned off parts of Hong Kong, blocking roads and imposing a no-fly zone over Victoria Central Harbor.

The new governor of Hong Kong is expected to be sworn in before Xi tomorrow, Friday.

Xi is expected to spend the night in neighboring Shenzhen today and leave Hong Kong tomorrow.

People who will be close to Xi during his trip, including high-ranking government officials, have been told they should cut back on contacts, undergo daily PCR tests and spend the days before visiting a hotel. quarantine.

“For security reasons, if we are going to meet the Supreme Leader and other leaders closely, I think it is worthwhile to make arrangements in a closed circle,” Regina Yip, a politician close to Beijing, told AFP.

Coverage of Xi Jinping’s visit is severely limited. Yesterday, Wednesday, the French Agency confirmed that 13 journalists from local and international media did not receive accreditation to cover the celebrations. Two AFP journalists are among those not being accredited, with a government spokesman citing unclear “security reasons”. A third AFP journalist has finally received accreditation. The Hong Kong Journalists’ Association has expressed its “deep regret” over the rejection of accreditation requests. The government told the media that the decision was “a balance, as far as possible, between the working needs of the media and security requirements”.

SOURCE: AMPE