Poet Ju-seok Emphasizes 'One Country, Two Systems'... Hong Kong Handover 25th Anniversary Event

President Xi Visits Hong Kong After 5 Years, Executes Carefully Calculated Political Schedule
Hong Kong Officials Meet with Representatives from Legislative, Judicial, and Inspection Bodies Before Visiting Hong Kong Academy of Sciences

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] At 8 a.m. on July 1 (Hong Kong time) at the Hong Kong Island Convention Center, the Chinese national flag, the Five-star Red Flag, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region flag, the Golden Bauhinia, were raised together while the Chinese national anthem, the March of the Volunteers, was played. The announcer from the state-run Chinese CCTV emphasized that the flag-raising ceremony was conducted in the Chinese style, not the British style.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover and the inauguration ceremony of the Hong Kong Chief Executive were held at 10 a.m. that day, attended by President Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, President of the State, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission. July 1 is also the 101st anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.

The event began when President Xi arrived at the venue at 10 a.m. He did not attend the flag-raising ceremony.

Before the 25th anniversary event, the inauguration ceremony of John Lee, the 6th Chief Executive of Hong Kong, took place. After the Chief Executive's oath-taking, President Xi was scheduled to deliver a speech.

President Xi arrived in Hong Kong the day before and emphasized the "One Country, Two Systems" principle. He stated, "One Country, Two Systems has been proven to be a good system that guarantees Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability and protects the well-being of Hong Kong compatriots," adding, "Hong Kong must contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." It appears that President Xi mentioned One Country, Two Systems to emphasize the high degree of autonomy granted to Hong Kong. This statement is interpreted as a message aimed at countering Western powers, including the United States.

This visit marks President Xi's first to Hong Kong in five years since the 20th anniversary of the Hong Kong handover in 2017. It is also his first external activity since the outbreak of COVID-19. It seems he visited Hong Kong personally to emphasize to both domestic and international audiences that Hong Kong is part of mainland China.

In fact, President Xi followed a carefully calculated political schedule. Upon arriving in Hong Kong the previous day, he used high-speed rail instead of a private plane. The Chinese government announced the development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in 2017. The plan aims to connect mainland China with Hong Kong and Macao and develop it as a new special economic zone. The high-speed rail section connecting Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong (Guangshengang) symbolizes the development of the Greater Bay Area.

After arriving in Hong Kong, President Xi met sequentially with Carrie Lam, the outgoing 5th Chief Executive of Hong Kong; Leung Chun-ying, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Ho Iat Seng, Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region; and heads of Hong Kong's judicial and supervisory institutions. He then visited the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences, where he reportedly had a conversation with Hong Kong scientific researchers and young entrepreneurs.

President Xi is then reported to have traveled to Shenzhen by high-speed rail. The distance from Hong Kong to Shenzhen by high-speed rail is 26 km, and the travel time is known to be less than 14 minutes. Although shorter than the 2-night, 3-day schedule in 2017, the political itinerary conveyed a domestic and international message that the Chinese leadership is highly interested in Hong Kong's future. The consensus is that the Sinicization of Hong Kong is accelerating.

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