Xi is expected to spend two days at the financial center and attend a series of official events to mark both the July 1 delivery and the inauguration ceremony of the city’s next Beijing-appointed leader, John Lee, a former police officer and security chief.
In the nearly 900 days since Xi left the mainland on January 17, 2020, his diplomatic activities have been limited to virtual summits and video conferencing, giving special importance to his trip to Hong Kong.
Xi arrived in the city on Thursday afternoon, on a high-speed train from the Chinese border city of Shenzhen, after which he was greeted by a large crowd waving national flags and singing in unison: ” Welcome, welcome, a warm welcome. “
He was then led down a red carpet, while colorful lion dancers performed, adding to the roar of drums, chants, and trumpets.
Xi was first received by Hong Kong-based executive director Carrie Lam and senior officials. After exchanging a few words, Xi and his delegation slowly made their way through the station, greeting the crowd and talking to other officials present.
“It’s been more than five years since my last visit to Hong Kong. For the past five years, I’ve been paying close attention to Hong Kong and I’ve been concerned about that,” Xi said in a brief subsequent speech.
“In recent years, Hong Kong has withstood one severe test after another and overcome one risk and one challenge after another. After withstanding the storms, Hong Kong has emerged from the ashes with vigorous vitality.”
Coming out of the Covid bubble
Xi’s arrival coincides with forecasts of a typhoon that will bring strong winds and rain, and comes after weeks of uncertainty over whether he would risk leaving mainland China’s strict zero-Covid bubble to travel to a city that now reports more than 1,000 new cases of Covid a day. .Under Xi, China is isolated from the world to follow a zero-tolerance approach to the virus with the country’s international borders closed and travel strictly restricted. Xi reaffirmed the policy on Wednesday during a symbolic visit to Wuhan, China’s central city where the virus first emerged in late 2019, saying it would rather “temporarily sacrifice some economic growth” than “harm the health of the people, “according to the state news. Xinhua agency.
“If we calculate the total costs and benefits, our Covid policies are the most economical and effective,” Xi said, adding that China had the ability to continue its zero-Covid approach “until the final victory. “.
Although Hong Kong has been heavily influenced by Beijing’s uncompromising health policies, the implementation of strict quarantine and border controls, as well as forced social distancing measures, has so far prevented the kind of prolonged confinement throughout the country. city or the mandatory mass tests seen in mainland cities such as Shanghai and Xi’an.
Prior to Xi’s visit, Hong Kong imposed a number of Covid restrictions. Since last week, senior officials have been banned from attending public events and the use of private vehicles on trips has been restricted. They have also been tested daily for Covid, and must spend Thursday night in a quarantine hotel before Friday’s handover ceremony.
Arrive in a changed city
The last time Xi visited Hong Kong to mark the delivery was in 2017, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary, when he came across streets full of pro-democracy protesters.
But no protests are expected this year. Most pro-democracy groups in Hong Kong have disbanded after the city’s national security law was enacted two years ago.
Subsequent repression saw that almost all of Hong Kong’s most important pro-democracy figures, including activists and politicians, were imprisoned or forced into exile.
Of the remaining organizations, none have applied for permission to organize peaceful protests during Xi’s trip, according to police. The League of Social Democrats, one of the few surviving pro-democracy political parties, said it would not stage any protests after several members met with national security police.
The Hong Kong government has repeatedly defended the national security law, saying it has restored order to the city, which was shaken by anti-government and pro-democracy protests in 2019.
Closed places, air exclusion zone
Without running any risk, police have stepped up security and closed areas close to key sites. Pedestrian walkways, roads and a train station in some of Hong Kong’s busiest areas have been temporarily closed for Thursday and Friday.
An air exclusion zone has also been established in the city port, with the use of drones restricted during Xi’s visit.
Authorities have also severely restricted media access to delivery celebrations, far removed from the open information environment and the free local press of past years.
According to the Hong Kong Association of Journalists (HKJA), at least 10 journalists working for local and international organizations rejected their requests to cover the events for “security reasons”.
“With the media unable to send reporters on the ground, the HKJA regrets the rigid information arrangements made by the authorities for such an important event,” the press group said on Tuesday.
CNN’s Kathleen Magramo contributed to the reports.