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Former Secretary of Security, John Lee, was sworn in this Friday, July 1, as the new leader of the Hong Kong Executive, a position in which he succeeds Carrie Lam. Lee took office in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who traveled to the island for the 25th anniversary of the return of the former British colony to Beijing.
Change of command in Hong Kong, with a leader largely backed by China. John Lee, who served as the island’s Secretary of Security during the repression of the pro-democracy protests, was sworn in as the new chief executive.
“The next five years will be a crucial time for Hong Kong to move from governance to prosperity,” Lee said in his inaugural address, a ceremony attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
During his administration, Lee is expected to push through his promised plans to enact laws that “protect” Beijing from acts that threaten national security. A similar initiative was abandoned in 2003 amid strong protests.
However, with the National Security Law passed in 2020, China and the local government have imposed prison sentences on dozens of activists, shut down independent media outlets and made sure to block any voices of rejection.
Amnesty International (AI) warned that the projects of the new leader of the Hong Kong Executive on laws governing state secrets and cybersecurity will probably be similar to those that restrict civil rights in China.
“The extremely broad definition of such laws facilitates arbitrary application, a fact that creates even more uncertainty and fear for people in Hong Kong,” said the human rights group’s Asia-Pacific regional director, Erwin van der Borght.
Xi Jinping: “There is no reason to change the Hong Kong system”
Hong Kong, known in recent decades as a major financial center, has seen increased Chinese control in recent years, despite promises of autonomy, at least until 2047, when it was returned to China by the UK in 1997.
Precisely, in the framework of the 25th anniversary of the return, Xi traveled to the island and on the day of Lee’s inauguration he took the opportunity to issue a new speech in which he promised to maintain the formula of “one country, two systems”.
The Chinese president said that, contrary to criticism, the National Security Law is positive for the “democratic rights” of the residents of the region.
VIDEO: Chinese leader Xi Jinping said on Friday Hong Kong’s “true democracy” started after the city’s handover to China from colonial Britain 25 years ago pic.twitter.com/49goXSYGBe
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 1, 2022
“With this kind of good system, there is no reason for change. It must be maintained in the long run,” Xi said, adding that the territory’s “true democracy” started with its handover by the British.
However, hundreds of critics and Western powers accuse local authorities of trampling on freedoms with the strict regulations imposed by Beijing two years ago, after widespread demonstrations that unsuccessfully tried to stop Chinese rule over Hong Kong.
When the British government returned the territory to China on July 1, 1997, Beijing promised that autonomy, individual rights and independent justice would be guaranteed for at least 50 years.
But freedoms are increasingly undermined on the island, leaving dozens of activists and opponents behind bars or in exile.
With AP and EFE
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