John Lee Will Be Hong Kong's New Leader. Here's What to Know
TimeDec 29, 2022
China: Xi Visits Hong Kong for 25th Anniversary of Handover
Image copyright: AFP/Getty Images [via The Guardian]
The Facts
Pres. Xi Jinping left mainland China on Thurs. - the first time since the COVID outbreak - to visit Hong Kong for the inauguration of its new leader, John Lee, and to attend celebrations of the 25th anniversary of Chinese rule.
The two-day visit - allegedly aimed at reaffirming China's authority over the island - includes an additional 30K police, blocked roads and no-fly zones.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
Though Beijing vowed to keep its hands out of Hong Kong affairs, those promises have been severely broken over the past years. From cracking down on protests to stifling the press, the CCP is bringing the full force of its authoritarian regime down on the island.
Pro-China narrative
The National Security Law doesn't violate the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which never referenced national security. The 'one nation, two systems' promise is still being upheld and Hong Kong is much freer than it's made out to be.