Key leaders of Beijing’s Hong Kong-Macau policies make way as China entrenches ‘one country, two systems’
- Vice-Premier Han Zheng, chair of Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs since 2018, is not on new Central Committee
- Despite the make-up of the new team, their job is already clearly defined as ‘Hong Kong has entered a new era’, says analyst
Top Communist Party leaders who have steered Beijing’s policies on Hong Kong and Macau in recent years have retired from the organisation’s top policymaking body, paving the way for a reshuffle of the elite team.
02:03
China’s 20th party congress concludes with bigger than expected leadership reshuffle
Other top leaders in charge of Hong Kong and Macau affairs leaving the committee include Luo Huining, head of the central government’s liaison office in Hong Kong, and Zhang Xiaoming, a deputy secretary general of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and a predecessor of Xia Baolong, head of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office.
Luo’s counterpart in Macau, Zheng Xincong, 58, however, was promoted to full Central Committee member.
Analysts and seasoned observers said Beijing’s policies on the two special administrative regions would continue but it was too early to predict who would fill the shoes of the retired leaders.
Tam Yiu-chung, Hong Kong’s sole delegate to the NPC Standing Committee, said Beijing’s policies would remain consistent despite the reshuffle.
