Top Beijing official Xia Baolong arrives in Hong Kong for 5-day visit
Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, arrived in the city at around 5pm on Wednesday via the Shenzhen Bay border crossing, with sources saying he will attend a dinner hosted by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu in the evening.
Xia's trip, which follows a seven-day inspection visit he made to Hong Kong in February last year, is mostly to attend a key forum on Saturday marking the fifth anniversary of the imposition of the national security law, according to insiders.
A source said the trip would help the central government understand Hong Kong's overall situation and propose an optimal plan for the city's better integration with mainland China's next-stage development. Beijing is finalising its 15th five-year plan for national economic and social development.
In May, President Xi Jinping called for the public's feedback on the nation's 2026-30 national economic development plan, with an emphasis on science and modernisation.
In the past few months, Xi and other top Chinese leaders have been travelling around the country to lay the groundwork for the new blueprint and a coming party plenum. A comprehensive catalogue of quantifiable socio-economic goals will be made public in March.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
‘Failure' for Taiwan's William Lai as all 24 opposition KMT lawmakers survive mass recall vote
Voters in Taiwan on Saturday resoundingly rejected a mass recall campaign targeting opposition lawmakers, dealing a major setback to Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te and his ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) while handing the Kuomintang (KMT) a surprise reprieve. All 24 lawmakers from the Beijing-friendly KMT who faced recall votes survived, in what analysts described as a serious political miscalculation by the DPP and its affiliated civil society groups. The backfiring of the DPP's high octane campaign, which was championed as a way to root out 'pro-China forces' and safeguard Taiwan's democracy, exposes growing public fatigue with 'anti-China' rhetoric as a blanket strategy. Beijing, which regards Taiwan as a part of China to be reunited by force if necessary, has intensified military pressure on the island since Lai took office in May last year and provoked Beijing with what it calls 'separatist' and pro-independence remarks. 01:40 Tens of thousands rally in Taiwan against William Lai as recall turmoil engulfs legislature Tens of thousands rally in Taiwan against William Lai as recall turmoil engulfs legislature The United States, like most countries, does not recognise self-governed Taiwan as independent. However, it is opposed to any unilateral change to the status quo and is committed to supplying Taiwan with weapons for defence.
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Trump eyes autumn China trip, but September visit off the table: sources
US President Donald Trump is keen to visit China but a September visit is not happening, according to sources, who said Beijing and Washington were working to secure a trip in October or November. Hurdles remain, but high-level officials 'share a consensus', sources familiar with the matter told the South China Morning Post. Media reports earlier said that China planned to invite Trump to the Victory Parade in Beijing on September 3 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. With September now off the table, Trump might visit China before heading to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in South Korea, or he could meet Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the event between October 30 and November 1, according to sources. Sources also described the Kuala Lumpur meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his US counterpart Marco Rubio earlier this month as 'better than expected'. It was the first in-person engagement between the respective top diplomats – an essential step before any leader-level summit can occur – and both sides praised the meeting as 'positive'. Another person familiar with the discussions said there was a possibility of a meeting later this year, with two options under consideration: Trump could either visit China for bilateral talks before heading to the Apec summit, or attend Apec first and then travel to Beijing.
South China Morning Post
4 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Now is the time for a change in the mindset on LGBTQ rights
The freedom to use a suitable public toilet is a human right we can all relate to. Most of us know whether to use a washroom for women or 'gents'. But for transgender people in Hong Kong, the issue can be deeply troubling. Many face a dilemma when using toilets managed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. They are required to choose one that corresponds to the sex stated on their identity card, often their gender at birth. Those making the difficult transition to the opposite gender might have to use a women's toilet when looking and dressing like a man, or vice versa. Many are so uncomfortable they don't use public conveniences at all. This unsatisfactory position must now change, with a High Court ruling last week declaring laws making it a criminal offence to use the 'wrong' FEHD toilet unconstitutional. Mr Justice Russell Coleman struck the regulations down, finding them to breach equality and privacy rights. He suspended his ruling for a year, giving the government time to find a solution. The case may seem trivial, but it is of great importance to the transgender community and raises the sensitive question of precisely when, during the transition, a person should be treated as having their acquired gender? Litigant K, who was born female but identified as male from an early age, was diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2017. K undertook hormonal treatment and the 'real life experience' of consistently living as a man. An integral part of that process is using public toilets for men. Gender dysphoria is a medical condition that causes much distress and discomfort. It is a biological condition rather than a lifestyle choice, said the judge.
