Hong Kong business communist party transfer confirmed in “double turn”
Explicitly revealing the meaning of ‘accelerating Hong Kong’s sinicization’
The ‘Two Sessions’ (National People’s Congress, Chinese Political Consultative Conference) to announce the official launch of the third term of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s presidency (March 2023 to March 2028) will open on the 4th. Various measures to support President Xi’s long-term rule also appeared one after another, such as reports that Hong Kong-related affairs, which had been handled by the executive branch of the State Council, would be transferred to the Chinese Communist Party.
On the 2nd, the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP), citing multiple Beijing sources, reported that the reporting line on Hong Kong affairs would change from the existing State Council to the Communist Party. At the second plenary session (double plenary session) of the 20th Central Committee held on the 26th and 28th of last month as a preparatory meeting for the two sessions, the department in charge of Hong Kong affairs was renamed from the Hong Kong-Macao Office of the State Council to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in Hong Kong. It was reported that the contents of the change to ‘Macau Duke Office’ were included. This reform plan will be finalized through the National People’s Congress (NPC), which will be held from the 5th.
At the time of the handover of Hong Kong in 1997, China put Hong Kong administration under the State Council to avoid giving the impression that it was excessively involved in Hong Kong affairs. After the outbreak of large-scale anti-China protests in Hong Kong in 2019, it accelerated the suppression and control of Hong Kong, and this time created a direct reporting system to the Communist Party. It can be interpreted that he explicitly expressed his intention to accelerate the “sinicization of Hong Kong,” ignoring even the “one country, two systems” that was only superficially maintained after the return. Analysts are raised that media-related work such as TV and radio, which was also in charge of the State Council, is likely to be transferred to the Communist Party.
On the 1st, the Hong Kong Mingbo reported that the plan to establish a new ‘Central Home Affairs Committee’ within the Communist Party was also confirmed in the second round. It is an organization that oversees the Ministry of Public Security of the State Council, which is in charge of domestic security, and the Department of National Security, such as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and is expected to have powerful powers encompassing public security, judiciary, counter-terrorism, counterintelligence, and social management.
Attention is focusing on how much China will present its economic growth target this year at the two sessions. China presented a growth target of 5.5% at the two sessions last year, but only achieved 3.0% due to the aftermath of the lockdown following the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19). Currently, the prevailing view is that it will present 5-6% this year as well. In particular, if a rate of 6% or more is presented, it can be interpreted as meaning that President Xi will bet everything on economic recovery this year.
The appointment of the highest ranking official announced at the 20th Communist Party Congress in October last year will also be finalized through this two sessions. The second-ranked prime minister is Li Chang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Central Political Bureau, who, like Xi, served as Shanghai secretary. Standing Committee member Zhao Leji (趙樂際) will rise to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee chairperson, and Wang Huning (王滬寧), who drew the sketch of the ‘Chinese Dream’, will rise to the 4th position. Ding Xuexiang, Heifeng, Liu Guozhong, and Zhang Guoqing were nominated as four other deputy prime ministers.
＜Points to watch for in China in 2023＞
detail | point of view |
group Reorganization | –Hong Kong-related business; State Council to the Central Committee of the Communist Party Escalation –Establishment of the ‘Central Home Affairs Committee’ in charge of public security, judiciary, counter-terrorism and counterintelligence within the Communist Party |
economy | -Growth target for this year 5-6% mycity View |
greeting | -Prime Minister Li Chang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Zhao Leji appointment -President Xi Jinping’s closest aides are all over the party and government |
Beijing =
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.