02-06-2025
New director of Beijing's top organ in Hong Kong visits neighbourhoods on third day of office
Zhou Ji, the new director of Beijing's top organ in Hong Kong, visited Sham Shui Po and Tsing Yi on his third day in office, saying his new appointment reflected the 'deep trust' placed in him by China's president Xi Jinping.
Zhou said in a statement released by the central government's liaison office on Sunday that he hoped to understand Hong Kong's 'community work' and 'people's livelihoods' through his first district visit.
The top official went to a women's services centre run by a pro-Beijing group in Sham Shui Po's Fu Cheong Estate. He also visited a community hall in Cheung Hang Estate in Tsing Yi.
Zhou, 61, succeeded Zheng Yanxiong as head of the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong, according to a brief statement on Friday. Zhou was formerly the executive deputy director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office.
His predecessor, Zheng, had headed the liaison office since January 2023, three years after becoming the director of the central government's Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong.
Born in China's Hubei province, Zhou graduated from Huazhong University with a master's degree in electronic and communication engineering, according to Chinese media outlets. Zhou rose through local government ranks first in Hubei province and later in Henan province.
He said in the Sunday statement that he had seen Hong Kong's transition 'from governance to prosperity' while working as the executive deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macau affairs office, adding that the city had 'enhanced district governance.'
'It is a privilege to work at the liaison office, which reflects the deep trust placed in me by General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Central Committee of the Party,' Zhou said in the Chinese statement.
'I fully understand the weight of my responsibilities and will ensure the comprehensive, accurate, and unwavering implementation of the 'One Country, Two Systems' policy and the principle of 'patriots governing Hong Kong,'' he said.
Plans to overhaul the District Council elections were unveiled in May 2023 to ensure only 'patriots' were elected, following a pro-democracy landslide at the last polls in 2019.
The number of seats chosen democratically by the public were slashed from 452 to 88 – reducing the power of public votes to a fifth. The rest are to be chosen by the city's leader and government-appointed committees.
Constituency boundaries were redrawn, the opposition were shut out, voting hours were slashed by an hour, and each local council is to be chaired by a government official, similar to colonial-era arrangements. All candidates undergo national security vetting to ensure patriotism.
Meeting with John Lee
Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee met with Zhou 'in a cordial and productive atmosphere' on Saturday, welcoming Zhou on his new appointment and expressing gratitude for Beijing's care and support for Hong Kong, according to a government statement.
'Director Zhou Yi has extensive experience in local governance and a broad perspective on policy-making,' the Chinese statement read, adding that Zhou was 'well acquainted' with China's policies on Hong Kong.
According to the statement, Zhou led a delegation to visit Hong Kong last year and 'gain better insights into its economic development.'
