China replaces director of Hong Kong affairs office

(Patria) – The government of the People's Republic of China has replaced the director of the state office for Hong Kong affairs, making him the highest official removed from office in the context of anti-government protests in that autonomous province.

The Chinese Ministry of Human Resources announced on Thursday that the director of the office for Hong Kong and Macao affairs, Zhang Xiaoming, will be replaced by Xia Baolong (67), vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Baolong once served under Chinese President Xi Jinping when the latter was the Communist Party secretary for Zhejiang province. He is considered Xi's protégé and a 'hardliner' who will lead to even stronger pressure on Hong Kong.

The protests in Hong Kong, which have lasted for more than 7 months and have grown into a true movement for rights and freedoms, began as discontent and resistance to the proposed extradition bill for Hong Kong citizens to China.

It was the dismissed Zhang who supported the controversial bill, advocating for its urgent implementation.

Mass protests led to the withdrawal of the bill, but they did not stop, instead growing into a movement for greater democracy in Hong Kong, Reuters reports.