A Communist Party official who gained notoriety for his violent suppression of protests on the mainland has been appointed chief of Hong Kong’s new national security office. He was later promoted to secretary-general of the Guangdong party committee, which borders Hong Kong. Mr Zheng’s office has a wide purview, from overseeing the Hong Kong government’s national security policies to collecting intelligence and investigating cases. “This indicates that the Communist Party’s hopes for Hong Kong are not only about sending people to conduct suppression, but also about hoping to soften the attitudes of Hong Kong locals,” said the official, who did not want to be named. Before Beijing blamed outside forces for the demonstrations in Hong Kong, Mr Zheng said foreign media were behind the Wukan protests nine years ago.

Source: The Irish Times July 03, 2020 14:48 UTC