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| Hong Kong, 20 Years After the Handover | Hong Kong, 20 Years After the Handover |
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| HONG KONG — China’s president, Xi Jinping, arrived Thursday in Hong Kong for ceremonies marking the 20th anniversary of the former British colony’s return to Chinese rule. It is Mr. Xi’s first visit to the city as president, and he is expected to offer reassurances that China still respects the “one country, two systems” arrangement, negotiated with Britain, that promised Hong Kong civil liberties and its own judicial system for 50 years. | HONG KONG — China’s president, Xi Jinping, arrived Thursday in Hong Kong for ceremonies marking the 20th anniversary of the former British colony’s return to Chinese rule. It is Mr. Xi’s first visit to the city as president, and he is expected to offer reassurances that China still respects the “one country, two systems” arrangement, negotiated with Britain, that promised Hong Kong civil liberties and its own judicial system for 50 years. |
| • But Mr. Xi is also likely to say, symbolically or otherwise, that China will not tolerate challenges to its authority. The anniversary comes less than three years after huge pro-democracy demonstrations shut down parts of the city for months, and anti-Beijing sentiment persists, especially among the young. | • But Mr. Xi is also likely to say, symbolically or otherwise, that China will not tolerate challenges to its authority. The anniversary comes less than three years after huge pro-democracy demonstrations shut down parts of the city for months, and anti-Beijing sentiment persists, especially among the young. |
| • Security is tight for Mr. Xi’s visit, and protesters have already been arrested. Joshua Wong, the best-known leader of the 2014 street demonstrations, was among a few dozen people detained by the police Wednesday night after protesting Beijing’s rule at a monument marking the 1997 handover. | • Security is tight for Mr. Xi’s visit, and protesters have already been arrested. Joshua Wong, the best-known leader of the 2014 street demonstrations, was among a few dozen people detained by the police Wednesday night after protesting Beijing’s rule at a monument marking the 1997 handover. |
| Mr. Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, arrived in Hong Kong shortly after noon Thursday, disembarking from an Air China jet. They strolled down a red carpet, where they were greeted by the city’s departing chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, and Carrie Lam, who will be sworn in Saturday as Mr. Leung’s successor as Hong Kong’s top government official. Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong’s first chief executive after the resumption of Chinese sovereignty in 1997, was also in attendance. | Mr. Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, arrived in Hong Kong shortly after noon Thursday, disembarking from an Air China jet. They strolled down a red carpet, where they were greeted by the city’s departing chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, and Carrie Lam, who will be sworn in Saturday as Mr. Leung’s successor as Hong Kong’s top government official. Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong’s first chief executive after the resumption of Chinese sovereignty in 1997, was also in attendance. |
| As attendees waved the red flags of Hong Kong and China, Mr. Xi spoke briefly about the importance of the city to China. | As attendees waved the red flags of Hong Kong and China, Mr. Xi spoke briefly about the importance of the city to China. |
| “Hong Kong has always affected my heart,” he said. “In two days it will be the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland. This is a major event, a happy event, for the nation and for Hong Kong.” | “Hong Kong has always affected my heart,” he said. “In two days it will be the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland. This is a major event, a happy event, for the nation and for Hong Kong.” |
| Saying that he was happy to be in Hong Kong for the first time in nine years, he added that he hoped to experience the changes and development that have occurred in Hong Kong since his last visit. | Saying that he was happy to be in Hong Kong for the first time in nine years, he added that he hoped to experience the changes and development that have occurred in Hong Kong since his last visit. |
| — Austin Ramzy | — Austin Ramzy |
| With protests expected to greet Mr. Xi during his three-day visit, the local news media reported that roughly a third of Hong Kong’s 29,000-member police force would be deployed to protect the president, his wife and the events at which they appear. | With protests expected to greet Mr. Xi during his three-day visit, the local news media reported that roughly a third of Hong Kong’s 29,000-member police force would be deployed to protect the president, his wife and the events at which they appear. |
| But Mr. Xi’s personal security will be handled by Troop 8341, according to The South China Morning Post, which noted that the elite, secretive unit was actually composed of combat-ready troops. | But Mr. Xi’s personal security will be handled by Troop 8341, according to The South China Morning Post, which noted that the elite, secretive unit was actually composed of combat-ready troops. |
| Mr. Xi may encounter something he rarely sees in China: open protests. Because of its status as a semiautonomous region, Hong Kong has long allowed demonstrations, which are not tolerated in mainland China. To that end, the police have taken pains to keep protesters away from Mr. Xi’s planned public appearances. Roads will be closed Saturday in the busy Wan Chai and Admiralty areas as he presides over the swearing-in of Hong Kong’s new chief executive. | Mr. Xi may encounter something he rarely sees in China: open protests. Because of its status as a semiautonomous region, Hong Kong has long allowed demonstrations, which are not tolerated in mainland China. To that end, the police have taken pains to keep protesters away from Mr. Xi’s planned public appearances. Roads will be closed Saturday in the busy Wan Chai and Admiralty areas as he presides over the swearing-in of Hong Kong’s new chief executive. |
| — Gerry Mullany | — Gerry Mullany |
| On Thursday morning, two dozen pro-democracy protesters remained detained in a police station 12 hours after they were arrested for climbing a statue marking Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule. | |
| The 26 protesters, including the Umbrella Movement leaders Joshua Wong and Nathan Law, on Wednesday evening occupied the Golden Bauhinia Statue, at a square where President Xi Jinping will attend a flag-raising ceremony on Saturday. They called for the immediate release of Liu Xiabo, the Chinese dissident who received the Nobel Peace Prize for his writings promoting democracy and who recently left prison for cancer treatment. | |
| “Genuine universal suffrage! Free Liu Xiaobo unconditionally!” they chanted as hundreds of mostly mainland Chinese tourists looked on. | |
| Shocked by the display of defiance – such free expression is severely restricted in mainland China - many of the tourists immediately took out their phones to take photos and videos, even though many of them had never heard of Mr. Li. | |
| “Who is Liu Xiaobo?” a woman from the Anhui province in east-central China said when I approached her. “This is so scary.” |