Hong Kong authorities stepped up security for a top Chinese government official as he appeared at a business conference yesterday, preventing pro-democracy protesters from approaching the venue.
As many as 8,000 police officers were being deployed for the visit by Chinese National People’s Congress Standing Committee Chairman Zhang Dejiang (張德江), the South China Morning Post reported, citing an unidentified police source.
Zhang, the Chinese Communist Party No. 3, is the most senior Chinese leader to visit since pro-democracy protests rocked the territory for 11 weeks in late 2014.
Photo: EPA
About 100 protesters chanted “Zhang Dejiang get lost from Hong Kong” and burned a sign with the same message as they marched toward the convention center where Zhang was giving a keynote speech.
They also called for Beijing to stop interfering in Hong Kong’s affairs and to let it have direct, free leadership elections.
In 2014, thousands of residents took to the streets to show their opposition to Beijing’s decision to handpick candidates for the top job of chief executive. Riot police clashed frequently with protesters at that time, once firing tear gas and later using pepper spray.
Authorities are taking no chances as political tension over Hong Kong’s relationship with Beijing remains high. Calls for independence from activist groups, once unheard of, have become commonplace.
“Zhang’s visit to Hong Kong is just a political show,” said Avery Ng (吳文遠) of the League of Social Democrats, a small, radical political party. “We need to remind the world that it is a fake show.”
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