"Stop the Spread of Infection at All Costs," Xi Jinping's Order... SCMP Warns "Hong Kong Must Take Responsibility"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Chinese President Xi Jinping's directive to Hong Kong to fully respond to the fifth wave of COVID-19 infections has been interpreted as a kind of 'warning' aimed at clearly assigning responsibility. The Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported this on the 17th, citing remarks from Hong Kong-related experts and politicians.

Earlier, pro-China Hong Kong media outlets Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Po prominently reported that President Xi ordered the Hong Kong government to mobilize all methods and resources to curb the spread of COVID-19. According to reports, this directive from President Xi was mentioned during recent meetings between officials from mainland China and Hong Kong discussing the zero-COVID policy.

The previous day, Hong Kong authorities announced 4,285 new confirmed cases, 7,000 preliminary positive cases, and 9 deaths. Major media outlets interpreted President Xi's remarks as coming at a time when the increase in cases has pushed Hong Kong's healthcare system and epidemic prevention capacity to their limits, with China preparing to apply both pressure and support simultaneously. In fact, recent meetings among officials reportedly discussed plans to support Hong Kong's epidemic prevention efforts amid the weakening capacity on the ground.

Regarding this, SCMP noted, "Some analysts have pointed out that President Xi has never sent such a rigid message to local governments before, and see this as a warning that Carrie Lam, Hong Kong's Chief Executive, must take responsibility for failing to control the epidemic," adding, "It is essentially a message that the day of reckoning is near."

A mainland expert familiar with Hong Kong issues also expressed the view that the central government has the authority to supervise Xi's administration. In a white paper published in 2014, the State Council emphasized that the central government holds 'comprehensive jurisdiction' over Hong Kong. The mainland expert, who requested anonymity, said, "If the Hong Kong government fails to implement this, the central government has no choice but to fulfill its responsibility by urging the local administration to strengthen efforts," explaining, "President Xi's directive is a clear signal that the Hong Kong government must change its approach. If it fails to respond properly, it will face pressure from the central government."

Furthermore, the expert stressed, "Many important events, such as preparations for the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover, are also being affected," emphasizing, "Many aspects including Hong Kong's economy, foreign investment, and China's international image are becoming precarious." The expert added, "Hong Kong's fifth wave of the pandemic negatively impacts not only Hong Kong but also mainland China, which is hosting the Winter Olympics."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.