This is the first high-profile dialogue with Beijing since the pro-democracy protests in 2014.
Amid a second bout of protests by democracy advocates in Hong Kong, Zhang Dejiang, the third-ranking officer of the People’s Republic of China has arrived to address an economic conference and to ‘listen to all sectors of society’. While there is widespread unrest in Hong Kong due to intervention by China, Hong Kong authorities have deployed nearly 6,000 police officials for round-the-clock security, especially since pro-democracy demonstrations have been planned at several locations. Mr. Zhang chairs the National People’s Congress Standing Committee and is also expected to interact with lawmakers who support democracy.
Mr. Zhang, who delivered President Xi Jinping’s ‘warm regards’ upon arrival is the highest ranking official that has set foot in Hong Kong since 2014. Aware of the attention that his arrival has generated, he said,” I will listen to the chief executive and the [Special Administrative Region] government regarding their work, and to all sectors of society about what recommendations and requirements they have about implementing the principles of ‘one country, two systems’.”
Owing to this media, the security was strengthened at the airport as well, with officials disqualifying yellow umbrellas and pieces of cloth carried by journalists, since yellow has been the central colour in most pro-democratic demonstrations. Moreover, a banner put up by activists at Beacon Hill in Hong Kong saying ‘I want genuine universal suffrage‘ was also removed just in time for the leader’s arrival. 
In 2014, thousands of citizens from Hong Kong had taken to the streets to show their discontent over the increasing influence and interference of Mainland China on the ‘identity’ of Hong Kong. Ever since, these sentiments have only intensified, as several local protestant groups have been created to support the cause, going as far as to accept violence as a method of protest. In fact, in the more recent of such incidents, citizens had chopped of bricks and tiles from streets and pelted them at police forces, who were trying to shut down a street-side food market that comes alive during the Lunar New Year celebrations each year in February. The demonstrators saw this police action as the authorities’ methodical path to discontinue local traditions. In that light, paving stones around the legislative building were glued down to avoid them being used as weapons during protests.
At the same time, a man was taken into custody near the border with Shenzhen, where he was purchasing a drone so he could disturb Mr. Zhang’s visit. The elaborate security measures represent the extent of the authorities’ worry and citizens have promised that they would breach these measures if they had to, to get closer to Mr. Zhang.
For long, Hong Kong has been one of several disputed Chinese territories, for it allows its residents freedoms that they would otherwise be deprived of under mainland China. And the provision that allows them this freedom is a major part of the ‘handover agreement’ that the UK agreed to sign with China when they returned Hong Kong in 1997. However, the loss of these very freedoms is of concern to Hong Kong citizens, more so after five missing booksellers, known to sell books about controversial Chinese leaders were found to have been taken by mainland officers.
Source (Story and Images): BBC
Tags: China Hong Kong Hong Kong China relations Zhang Dejiang
