International

China elects staunch Zheng Yanxiong as its top representative in Hong Kong

Sujal Kothari

Published on January 16, 2023

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Key takeaways:

Zheng was among the officials authorised by the US to undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy and independence.

China has elected the head of the national security headquarters in Hong Kong as its top figurative officer in Hong Kong – a gesture that Beijing will tighten its power over the city.

Zheng Yanxiong, 59, replaces another militant, Luo Huining, 68, as head of Beijing’s top representative headquarters in Hong Kong, the State Council said in a directive.

As the inaugural head of the Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong, Zheng was around the Chinese and Hong Kong officers ratified by the United States for sabotaging Hong Kong’s autonomy and independence.

China’s strict rules against violent rallies:

The office, which has vast powers to investigate significant cases and manage the Hong Kong government’s implementation of national security law, was established under the national security rule.

China levied a national security regulation on the city in June 2020 to forge out the months-long, usually violent mass pro-democracy rallies that began in 2019. The law penalises acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and cooperation with foreign forces.

Hong Kong’s supreme leader, John Lee, lauded Zheng for “coordinating, leading and directing” the city government in national security things and said it would be with him in promoting “Hong Kong’s integration into national development”, China Daily said.

Zheng against the Guangdong villagers:

Zheng is notorious for breaking down during the 2011 mass rallies in Wukan, a village in the southern region of Guangdong, which abuts Hong Kong. As the leading party official of the Guangdong city of Shanwei, which led Wukan, Zheng criticised villagers for “conspiring with foreign media to form trouble” by talking about their resentments.

Zheng was well known for his hatred towards the foreign press, which fell on the village to report the rallies. “If the international media could be trusted, then pigs could be on trees,” he said at the time.