Beijing appoints a new top representative to Hong Kong
Zheng Yanxiong has been removed as director of Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong and the central government has appointed Zhou Ji, the executive deputy director of its top office for the city's affairs, to replace him.
The State Council, China's cabinet, announced late on Friday that Zhou, the executive deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO), had been appointed to lead the central government's liaison office in the city.
In a brief statement, it also said it had removed Zheng, 61, from all three of his posts, namely as the director of the liaison office, as deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office and as adviser to the city's national security committee.
In a statement, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu welcomed Zhou and thanked Zheng for his support of Hong Kong in the past.
Zhou, who was appointed as executive deputy director of the HKMAO in 2023, will also take over Zheng's role on the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of Hong Kong.
Zheng was appointed as head of the liaison office in January of that year to succeed Luo Huining, who was 68 at the time.
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