Why is top Beijing official Xia Baolong in Hong Kong for a 5-day visit?

Beijing’s point man overseeing Hong Kong affairs has begun a five-day fact-finding visit to the city, his third since taking office.

Sources have said Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, will focus on assessing the city’s progress on both development and security fronts.

The Post examines the importance of Xia’s visits to the city – from his past itineraries to messages issued to city officials.

1. What will Xia be doing during his visit?

Xia will attend a national security law forum on Saturday to mark the Beijing-promulgated law’s fifth anniversary.

According to several sources, Xia will meet university chiefs and senior educators on Thursday, to discuss how local varsities could boost technological collaboration with mainland China, and nurture and retain global talent.

Those expected to meet the Beijing official include Xiang Zhang from the University of Hong Kong, Nancy Ip Yuk-yu from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, and Polytechnic University’s Teng Jin-Guang.

Xia was also expected to inspect the city’s outlying islands to monitor progress on the city’s tourism development and the Northern Metropolis megaproject, as well as meet community members, including Kenneth Lau Ip-keung, chairman of rural body the Heung Yee Kuk, to hear their views on the development.