Xia Baolong heads top office overseeing Hong Kong, Macau

Xia Baolong is the head of China's recently created Central Office for Hong Kong and Macau Affairs, according to an official statement that showed him as chair of a meeting in that capacity on Tuesday.

Separately, Zhou Ji, Zheng Yanxiong, Zheng Xincong were named as deputy directors of the state council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs office, state media Xinhua reported.

The Beijing-based Central Office for Hong Kong and Macau Affairs - created earlier this year as part of broad institutional reforms - reports directly to the the ruling Communist Party and not to the State Council, or cabinet.

The top office was formed based on the long-existing Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office under the State Council.

The new office is responsible for ensuring the full and accurate implementation of the principle of One Country, Two Systems; implementing the Central Authorities' overall jurisdiction over the SARs; remaining committed to governing Hong Kong and Macau in accordance with the law; safeguarding national security in the SARs; and to better integrating into the overall development of the country.

(Staff reporter and Reuters)