Chinese President Xi Jinping swore in John Lee as Hong Kong’s new chief executive on Friday, marking a new era of antidemocratic governance in the city once known as China’s economic gateway to the West.
Friday was also the 25th anniversary of the United Kingdom’s agreement to return Hong Kong to China in 1997. That agreement promised a “one country, two systems” governing principle until 2047 — the idea being that although the city would belong to Beijing, Hong Kongers would continue to enjoy a high degree of autonomy relative to mainland citizens, including a freer press, an independent judiciary, and its own local government. However, under Xi’s leadership, China has repeatedly insisted that the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the agreement governing the handover and protecting Hong Kong’s autonomy and civil liberties, is no longer relevant, meaning they think Beijing has every right to assert its authority there.
Lee’s swearing-in, and Xi’s visit to Hong Kong to preside over it, are the symbolic culmination of years of increasingly authoritarian crackdowns on the city — and indicate that efforts to curtail civil rights there will only increase as leadership’s ties to Beijing become stronger.
Lee ran uncontested after radical changes to Hong Kong’s electoral laws effectively barred opposition candidates from running. He won 99 percent of a committee vote in May as the only Beijing-approved candidate. Lee is is a career police officer, unlike previous chief executives who had business or civil service expertise. He not only supported 2019’s controversial extradition bill that prompted a year of turmoil in Hong Kong, he oversaw the police force accused of using water cannons, rubber bullets, tear gas, and even live ammunition against protesters.
“It really marks a fundamental shift” for Hong Kong’s future, Eric Yan-ho Lai, the Hong Kong law fellow at the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, told Vox. “John Lee’s being chosen demonstrates that political security remains top priority” for Beijing.
In a speech Friday, Xi trumpeted the city’s return to order after the past two years of Covid-19 restrictions and the pro-democracy protests of 2019, though the government achieved that order by enforcing its draconian national security law, which has jailed many pro-democracy activists, forced others into exile and silenced the independent press.
“After ups and downs, we deeply recognize that Hong Kong cannot afford to be destabilized,” he said.
What was different about Xi’s anniversary speech this time around
Xi’s speech marking the anniversary called on “patriots” — those loyal to Xi and his party — to command political power in Hong Kong. “Nobody in any country or region in the world will allow foreign countries or even traitorous forces and figures to seize power,” he said, echoing…
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