Xi makes statement on Hong Kong

China has achieved full control over Hong Kong, ensuring that the special administrative region is run by “patriots,” President Xi Jinping said in his opening speech at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party in Beijing on Sunday.

Beijing has brought Hong Kong out of chaos to a state of order and has done so while acting in line with both Chinese and local laws, Xi insisted in front of 2,300 delegates at the Great Hall of the People.

“One country, two systems” is the best solution for the territory and must be adhered to in the long run, he said.

The president promised that the Chinese government would help Hong Kong integrate into the mainland and thrive because of this enhanced cooperation.

Meanwhile, Xi pointed out that despite the recent changes, Hong Kong is still being run by its own people and maintains a high degree of autonomy.

The new pro-Beijing chief executive of Hong Kong, John Lee, was sworn in by Xi in early July. Lee, a former security official, promised to turn the special administrative region into an international technology hub by “leveraging and combining the respective strengths of Hong Kong and the mainland.”

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese governance after more than 150 years of British rule. According to the agreement between Beijing and London, the territory would have a form of self-rule and judicial independence for at least 50 years following the handover in 1997.

However, the West has accused China of curtailing that autonomy and dismantling the local democratic institutions. Tensions spiked in Hong Kong after the introduction of a national security law in 2020 that led to violent protests and calls for independence, which eventually forced Beijing to interfere.