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Buffeted by trade war and Hong Kong protests, China’s Xi Jinping seeks to project stability Buffeted by trade war and Hong Kong protests, China’s Xi Jinping seeks to project stability
(about 1 hour later)
BEIJING — Chinese leader Xi Jinping offered his full support for embattled Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam as he sought to project an image of assuredness amid political challenges from China’s southern periphery and from the United States. BEIJING — Chinese leader Xi Jinping is doubling down on his support for embattled Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam as he seeks to project an image of assuredness amid political challenges from China’s southern periphery and from the United States.
Seated at the end of a long, narrow meeting room in Shanghai, Xi told Lam late Monday that the central government maintained a “high degree of trust in you and full acknowledgment of you and your governance team,” according to a report Tuesday by the Chinese state broadcaster, which aired video of Xi smiling and appearing relaxed as he addressed Hong Kong’s leader.Seated at the end of a long, narrow meeting room in Shanghai, Xi told Lam late Monday that the central government maintained a “high degree of trust in you and full acknowledgment of you and your governance team,” according to a report Tuesday by the Chinese state broadcaster, which aired video of Xi smiling and appearing relaxed as he addressed Hong Kong’s leader.
The meeting was meant to throw Beijing’s weight behind Lam but may only harden the pattern of intensifying confrontation between Hong Kong authorities and protesters calling for democracy in the semiautonomous territory. Lam has struggled for five months to restore calm by ratcheting up the use of police force to counter worsening violence, which has included attacks by protesters against establishments linked to, or seen as supportive of, mainland China. She has also sought to open dialogue with protesters, who have called for her resignation. The meeting was meant to throw Beijing’s weight behind Lam but may harden the pattern of intensifying confrontation between Hong Kong authorities and protesters who are calling for Lam's resignation and full democracy in the semiautonomous territory, among other demands.
For weeks, speculation has swirled around whether Lam would be replaced or step down – and, even if she wanted to, whether Beijing would allow it. Lam sparked the crisis in the former British colony this year when she fast-tracked a bill that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China, a wholly different system in which judges reject concepts such as independent courts as dangerous Western ideology. Lam has struggled for five months to restore calm by ratcheting up the use of police force to counter worsening violence, which has featured attacks by protesters against establishments linked to, or seen as supportive of, mainland China.
Hong Kong people took to the streets to oppose what they saw as an attempt to diminish their autonomy and relative freedoms that do not exist in mainland China. For weeks, speculation has swirled around whether Lam would be replaced or step down – and, even if she wanted to, whether Beijing would allow it. Lam sparked the crisis in the former British colony this year when she fast-tracked a bill that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China. Hong Kong people then took to the streets to oppose what they saw as an attempt to diminish their autonomy and relative freedoms that do not exist in mainland China.
For many in Hong Kong, Beijing’s troops are already here: the Hong Kong Police ForceFor many in Hong Kong, Beijing’s troops are already here: the Hong Kong Police Force
Xi told Lam that “ending violence and chaos and restoring order remains the most important task for Hong Kong.” And he praised her for “leading her government to fulfill its duties, striving to stabilize the situation, and doing a lot of arduous work,” the official Xinhua News Agency reported. Xi told Lam that “ending violence and chaos and restoring order remains the most important task for Hong Kong.” And he praised her for “leading her government to fulfill its duties, striving to stabilize the situation, and doing a lot of arduous work,” the official Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday.
The meeting in Shanghai reinforced a sense of the Chinese leadership holding the course on several fronts during a tumultuous autumn. Last week, the ruling Communist Party concluded a conclave that was notable for the absence of major announcements — except for a communique reiterating its complete backing for Xi. The meeting in Shanghai reinforced a sense of the Chinese leadership firmly holding course on several fronts through a tumultuous autumn. Last week, the ruling Communist Party concluded a Central Committee conclave that was notable for the absence of major announcements — except for a communique suffused with ideology and reiterating political backing for Xi.
After meeting Lam, Xi appeared Tuesday at a trade fair, where he toned down some of the sharper language previously aimed at Washington. As negotiators worked this week toward a temporary truce with Washington, Xi promised — again — to open China’s markets to more foreign investment and trade, and touted its regulatory reforms. Shen Chunyao, a top legislative official who deals with Hong Kong affairs, hinted that Beijing could return to two strategies it has previously attempted to shore up control over Hong Kong: encourage the city to pass a national security law and reinforce patriotic education for disaffected youth — measures that sparked protests when officials attempted to introduce them in the past.
Timothy Stratford, the chair of the American Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, said Xi and his negotiators did not seem to be making new promises or offer new solutions to long-festering irritants in the commercial relationship. If anything, Stratford said, Chinese officials have signaled they are doubling down on their state-led economic model. China’s ominous warning to Hong Kong: Less tolerance, more patriotic education
“China is trying to welcome foreign investments and imports and doing it in very targeted ways,” Stratford said. “That doesn’t necessarily fix the systemic problems.” On a spate of issues, from the Hong Kong crisis to the trade war with the United States, Xi appeared to be “persisting in what he’s doing and thinking the problem isn’t the policy direction, but implementation,” said Steve Tsang, an expert on Chinese politics at the University of Nottingham who is critical of what he described as an ossification of policy debate in Beijing.
On Tuesday, Xi sipped wine with French President Emmanuel Macron as he stressed China’s commitment to low tariffs and open global markets. “It's like driving a car off the road and thinking it’s not going in the wrong direction — it’s just not driving fast enough,” he said.
In Hong Kong, one of Lam’s deputies, the chief secretary Matthew Cheung, said the fact that Xi made time to meet Lam was “pretty reassuring to us.” On the trade front, Xi appeared Tuesday at a trade fair, where he toned down some of the sharper language previously aimed at Washington. But he also rolled out well-tread pledges to expand trade, lower tariffs, and live up to regulatory reforms that have opened the door for more foreign investment.
After he spoke, Xi sipped wine with French President Emmanuel Macron as he stressed China’s commitment to low tariffs and open global markets. At the expo were booths from 192 American companies, including household names such as General Electric and John Deere.
Even though the Trump administration this week talked up the chances of a “phase one” trade truce with China, Taoran Notes, a state-run blog believed to be published by officials close to China’s negotiating team, published a new post Tuesday reiterating a firm position: China will not budge on its consistent and “core” condition that President Trump remove existing tariffs as part of any deal.
“Any misjudgment on this issue could lead to repeated negotiations,” the outlet warned the U.S. administration.
Timothy Stratford, chair of the American Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, downplayed the likelihood of a substantial deal. Despite Xi's trade-fair talk and China's promises to buy American agricultural products, China did not appear to be offering fixes to longstanding U.S. complaints, such as Beijing's subsidies for certain businesses, Stratford said.
“The more I'm hearing from the Chinese, the more I hear ‘we're actually doubling down on the economic model, we’re not going to change our state intervention in key industries,’” he said. “China is trying to welcome foreign investments and imports and doing it in very targeted ways. That doesn’t necessarily fix the systemic problems.”
In China’s capital of Halloween slime and ooze, the trade war is a scary subject
Meanwhile in Hong Kong, one of Lam’s deputies, the chief secretary Matthew Cheung, said the fact that Xi made time to meet Lam amid a trade agenda was “pretty reassuring to us.”
“The very fact that he is so busy, that he found time to meet, really is a vote of confidence,” he told reporters in Hong Kong.“The very fact that he is so busy, that he found time to meet, really is a vote of confidence,” he told reporters in Hong Kong.
After the meeting, the first between Lam and the top Chinese leader since the Hong Kong protests started in June, Xinhua carried photos of the two shaking hands and beaming smiles.After the meeting, the first between Lam and the top Chinese leader since the Hong Kong protests started in June, Xinhua carried photos of the two shaking hands and beaming smiles.
China’s ominous warning to Hong Kong: Less tolerance, more patriotic education Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a professor of political science at Hong Kong Baptist University, said Xi wanted to show he was digging in.
“Xi is personally taking responsibility for keeping her and contradicting rumors of her dismissal,” said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a professor of political science at Hong Kong Baptist University. “Xi has concluded that for the moment it is preferable to keep Carrie Lam than to change horse. She is the best placed to conduct and support a hardening of repression as protesters have become more violent and more anti-mainland China.” “He is personally taking responsibility for keeping her and contradicting rumors of her dismissal,” Cabestan said. “Xi has concluded that for the moment it is preferable to keep Carrie Lam than to change horses.”
Aside from Lam’s future, another question, analysts say, is whether Beijing might leave the door open to changing how Hong Kong’s chief executive is elected or even permitting a wider pool of candidates. Beijing’s pre-screening of candidates has been a major grievance for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy activists, who demand direct democracy.
A top Chinese legislative official who deals with Hong Kong affairs told reporters on Friday that Beijing would try to “improve” the electoral process, without giving details. But the official, Shen Chunyao, mostly struck a hard line note and hinted that Beijing could ask Hong Kong to pass a national security law and reinforce patriotic education for the city’s disaffected youth, both of which could be contentious.
China’s ominous warning to Hong Kong: Less tolerance, more patriotic educationChina’s ominous warning to Hong Kong: Less tolerance, more patriotic education
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