Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong has been restructured, with the economic department split into two and its district-level groups expanded, a move that an analyst said reflected the central government’s greater focus on financial, youth, and district work.
A comparison of the office’s organisational chart on its website on Thursday with internet archive records showed that the number of departments had been reduced from 24 to 23, even as its Economic Department was split into two entities, the Economic and Financial Department I and Department II.
The previous Education and Technology Department and Youth Work Department were consolidated into the Education and Youth Department.
The reorganisation also signalled an expansion in district-level coordination, with the New Territories Work Department split into the New Territories East Affairs and West Affairs Department.
The Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Work Department was also renamed slightly as the Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Affairs Department.
The restructuring also introduced a new Social Development Department, running in parallel with the existing Social Works Department.