New liaison office chief in Hong Kong reaches out to opposition pan-democrats
Wang Zhimin promises to engage with various sectors of society, but maintains firm stance against advocating Hong Kong independence
The new head of Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong has pledged to reach out to “friends” from all sectors of the community, including the opposition pan-democratic camp, while warning that advocating independence for the city will not be tolerated.
Wang Zhimin, who took up the post a week ago, also praised Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor for “bringing a good atmosphere and new hopes” to the city.
“Liaising widely with different sectors of the society has always been one of the office’s major responsibilities,” Wang said at a national day reception for the local media on Friday in his first public address in his new role.
“We have been doing this, and we will keep doing it in the future. That also includes reaching out to friends from different sectors in the community, including the pan-democrats.”
Wang’s predecessor, Zhang Xiaoming, now director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office in Beijing, was known for his tough stance against critics and considered a hardliner by the pan-democrats. Opposition politicians have accused his office of interfering in local affairs over the last few years by lobbying lawmakers for the administration, coordinating the pro-Beijing camp’s strategy and mobilising supporters during the Legislative Council elections.