'Good Chance That Xi Will Attend SAR Celebrations

Incoming Executive Council convenor, Regina Ip, says she believes there's a good chance President Xi Jinping will personally attend Friday's ceremonies to commemorate the handover and the inauguration of the next government.

She told RTHK's Hong Kong Today programme on Tuesday that a visit would show he attaches a lot of importance to the SAR, especially considering the president hadn't left the mainland since the pandemic started.

Ip, also a legislator from the New People's Party, said she expected his speech would highlight Hong Kong's integration with the mainland and the way forward for One Country, Two Systems.

“The implementation of One Country, Two Systems has been quite eventful, and there had been doubts and uncertainty in some quarters, people wondering whether this arrangement will expire in 25 years’ time. So President Xi might give guidance on how the central authorities view this arrangement,” she said.

She also said the SAR's Covid policies had been damaging to Hong Kong's economy and its status as an international hub, so she was pleased to hear that incoming Chief Executive John Lee and health secretary Lo Chung-mau would focus on easing travel restrictions.

Ip, who will assume the role of Exco convenor on July 1, said she hoped to work more closely with the chief executive and discuss his priorities, particularly for his policy address.

"There's been a lot of criticism that the current administration has not done well enough in putting across its messages to the people. So I think the new chief executive is aware of that," she said.

She added that the incoming Exco is made up of experienced people with backgrounds in finance, governance, law, and medicine, and that everyone should do their part in better explaining the government's policies to the people.