China defends Hong Kong’s political revamp in publicity effort

HONG KONG - A Chinese official praised Hong Kong’s revamped political system in a campaign to burnish the image of the financial hub damaged by a sweeping crackdown on dissent.

“Democracy in Hong Kong really is thriving,” Mr Cui Jianchun, Beijing’s top diplomat in the former British colony, said on July 30 in some of his first public comments since taking office in April.

He said he would work on improving the city’s international image and stressed a need to share accurate information about it.

Mr Cui’s two-hour-long press conference comes as Hong Kong struggles to boost its appeal to businesses and tourists after a clampdown on political opposition following

massive pro-democracy protests in 2019

.

Beijing responded by

imposing a national security law

that chilled speech, and rewriting election rules which led to democracy advocates being all but excluded from all levels of office.

Those efforts slashed directly elected seats in local polls and left many voters – especially younger residents – disillusioned with the prospect of greater representation.

The loss in political freedoms raised concerns about the blurring of the distinction between the semi-autonomous city and mainland China, and with it the commercial centre’s advantages. 

Beijing has shrugged off such fears and said a stable Hong Kong makes it a more attractive place for businesses.

Mr Cui, whose official title is Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong, listed democracy as one of the four pillars of Hong Kong, together with its market economy, civil society and rule of law.

He said China has a right to develop its own political systems.

Without naming any country, he criticised some democracies for failing to benefit the people and advancing only personal or party gains.

Signalling further efforts to tighten the party’s ideological control, he also called on Hong Kong’s young people to develop a national identity, encouraging those who are interested in diplomacy to study the “Xi Jinping thought”, the Chinese President’s guiding principles.

The authorities have sought to further integrate the city into the country’s development plans, announcing in early July an easing of visa policies to further facilitate cross-border exchanges.

Growing transport links have helped a record number of Hong Kong residents travel to neighbouring mainland cities for leisure and boosted economic ties between the city and the rest of China.

But Hong Kong’s appeal to visitors and businesses has been held back by a negative perception overseas. Western governments have responded to the authorities’ security clampdown with sanctions and elevated travel warnings. 

Mr Cui criticised such sanctions for impeding exchanges between Hong Kong and foreign governments and “disrespecting” the city’s officials. “We should have new wisdom and a new approach to solve this,” he said. BLOOMBERG