President Xi Jinping sends Hong Kong personal message ahead of 25th anniversary handover celebrations
- Article, headlined ‘Hong Kong’s development is always close to my heart’, compiles a number of Xi’s past speeches which touched on city
- Source says Xi is ‘very likely’ to visit Hong Kong to mark anniversary of city’s return to Chinese sovereignty
State media on Tuesday published a report on President Xi Jinping’s “deep affection” for Hong Kong ahead of the 25th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese sovereignty, raising expectations he would attend the celebrations on July 1.
The 2,175-word article, in the People’s Daily newspaper, came as the Hong Kong government was working to ensure a visit by a yet to be named state leader amid a resurgence of Covid-19 cases locally could take place smoothly.
The article, headlined “Hong Kong’s development is always close to my heart” and published in the Communist Party mouthpiece, compiled a number of Xi’s past speeches which touched on the city, highlighting his “care” for it over the decades.
A source told the Post: “As far as we know, up to now, the arrangement is for President Xi to visit Hong Kong.”
Officials are due to undergo a closed loop arrangement from Thursday to minimise any threat of infections spreading.
On Tuesday, the city’s legislature announced the cancellation of its meeting next Wednesday to prevent the potential spread of the coronavirus as lawmakers have been invited to join official events on July 1 to mark the handover anniversary.
