JAKARTA - Chinese President Xi Jinping said Hong Kong had overcome its challenges and bounced back, while visiting the country to celebrate 25 years of returning from Britain.
On his first visit since 2017, as well as his first known trip outside of Mainland China since the COVID-19 pandemic, President Xi will take the oath of Hong Kong's new leader, John Lee.
Wearing masks, President Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, stepped off the high-speed train to be greeted by children waving flowers and Chinese and Hong Kong flags and chanting "Welcome, welcome, warm welcome" in Mandarin.
"Hong Kong has repeatedly faced severe trials, overcoming challenges one by one. After the wind and rain, Hong Kong rose from the ashes," President Xi said in a brief speech.
The local authorities held lion dance performances and the police marchingband. Meanwhile, security at train stations was tightened with police conducting stop-and-search checks, assisted by sniffer dogs.
Some analysts see President Xi's visit as a victory tour, after Beijing tightened its control over Hong Kong with a national security law following mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.
"This is a celebration of the central government's victory over the political opposition in Hong Kong," said John Burns, a professor at the University of Hong Kong's Department of Politics and Public Administration.
Hong Kong's expiring leader Carrie Lam and husband were among those who greeted President Xi at a station that had not been used for two years due to COVID-19 restrictions.
City streets are decorated with red Chinese flags and posters declaring a "new era" of stability.
It is known, for the sake of celebrating and visiting President Xi this time, the police have warned of all acts of violence and public disturbance. More than 30,000 troops were deployed to provide security.
In addition, police sealed off parts of Hong Kong, blocked roads and imposed a no-fly zone over Victoria Harbour. In fact, John Lee and Carrie Lam stayed in a quarantine hotel and underwent COVID-19 tests days before President Xi's arrival.
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