Beijing assurance on HK affairs

New Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang is familiar with Hong Kong and Macau affairs and Beijing's concerns about the SARs will not be reduced.

That is the message from a representative of the Hong Kong deputies' delegation to the National People's Congress.

Ding, the highest-ranked vice premier, is expected to succeed Vice President Han Zheng to oversee Hong Kong and Macau affairs.

The NPC yesterday confirmed the four vice premier candidates nominated by new Premier Li Qiang - Ding, He Lifeng, Zhang Guoqing and Liu Guozhong.

Ding, 60, has effectively served as President Xi Jinping's chief of staff since 2017 when he became director of the General Office of the Chinese Communist Party, the same year he became the sixth-ranked member of the Politburo Standing Committee.

Ding was also secretary to Xi when the now president was Shanghai party head in 2007.

The other three vice premiers are also Politburo members. He was the former director of the National Development and Reform Commission, while Zhang and Liu were party secretaries of Liaoning and Shaanxi, respectively.

Lau Siu-kai, a consultant to the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, believes Ding - who ranks the highest among the four and is the only Politburo Standing Committee member - will become executive vice premier and head of the Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs. Lau also expects the central government's policies on the two SARs to remain the same as they were set out in Xi's report to the 20th national congress in October.

And Lau noted that Ding accompanied Xi when he visited Hong Kong last year.

Legislator Brave Chan Yung, spokesman of the Hong Kong NPC delegation, noted that Ding was also involved in discussions on the national security law.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu flew to Beijing yesterday for today's closing ceremony of the NPC annual meeting. Lee and eight of his key officials will meet mainland officials from various departments before they return to Hong Kong on Saturday.

"I will seize the opportunity to tell state leaders about the situation in Hong Kong to get their support," he said.

Lee congratulated Xi on starting his third five-year term as president, saying it shows he has the people's support and trust.

And new Premier Li Qiang will host his first press conference today.

Separately, Starry Lee Wai-king, chair of the Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, has at 48 years of age become the youngest Hong Kong deputy on the NPC Standing Committee.

Lee said it was a "great honor" for her to succeed stalwart Tam Yiu-chung as the SAR's sole delegate to the NPCSC with 2,901 votes, while 35 people voted against her and three abstained.

Lee said she is well placed to be a bridge between Hong Kong and the mainland.

She added: "As pandemic measures have been scrapped I believe our priority is to better integrate into the national development plan."

The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council will reportedly be directly under the CCP central committee, though Tam said it was not mentioned in the State Council reform plan.

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com