Xia Baolong to kick off 5-day visit to Hong Kong on Wednesday: John Lee

Beijing’s point man overseeing Hong Kong affairs will begin a five-day visit to the city on Wednesday to inspect its development and attend a national security forum, the chief executive has said, confirming the Post’s report.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said that Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, would attend the key forum, organised by the Department of Justice to mark the fifth anniversary of the imposition of the national security law, on Saturday.

“The main purpose of Xia’s visit is to attend the forum on national security law,” Lee said before his weekly meeting with the Executive Council, the city’s key decision-making body, on Tuesday.

“This shows that he attaches great importance to the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong.

“He cares about both security and development and will be examining both aspects during his visit.”

Earlier this month, the Post reported that Xia would speak at the forum, with sources saying that he was also expected to inspect the progress of the Northern Metropolis, a megadevelopment which involves turning 30,000 hectares of land near the city’s border with mainland China into an economic powerhouse and a housing hub.