Silence broken, Beijing looks for ways to take message direct to the Hong Kong public
- The central government is exploring options to make its position better known to the city’s people, sources say
- Monday’s press conference expected to mark the start of more to come
Beijing’s top office on Hong Kong will be more proactive in engaging the city’s populace after an attack by some radical protesters on the central government’s liaison office in Sai Ying Pun prompted it to hold its first press conference in more than two decades.
The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) under the State Council, China’s cabinet, has deliberately maintained a low profile since the city returned to China from Britain in 1997.
Until last week, it had not directly engaged the Hong Kong public, preferring to work with the city’s government instead.
The HKMAO broke that silence in the Chinese capital on Monday with its first press conference on Hong Kong affairs, a remarkable move prompted by an unprecedented attack on the liaison office in the city on July 21, according to three people familiar with the arrangements.
Now the HKMAO is considering more direct interaction with the Hong Kong media and public, including press conferences and other ways to engage the city’s populace, to better articulate Beijing’s policy, a source familiar with the discussions said.
