London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Hong Kong protests: China's leaders send message to protesters

Hong Kong protests: China's leaders send message to protesters

China's leaders are signalling that they are preparing to change how they deal with Hong Kong, following months of pro-democracy protests.

Shen Chunyao, director of the Hong Kong, Macau and Basic Law Commission, told reporters they were looking at ways to "perfect" how Hong Kong's chief executive is appointed and removed.

He did not elaborate on what exactly might change.

The statement could further inflame protests, which began in June.

There were demonstrations on Friday and more are expected over the weekend.

Initially protesters were demonstrating against proposals to allow extradition to mainland China.

These proposals have now been dropped, but the protests widened to include four more demands, including the implementation of complete universal suffrage (the right of almost all adults to vote in elections).

The protests, the largest since President Xi Jinping took office in 2012, have presented a serious challenge to China's leaders, who have painted the demonstrators as dangerous separatists and accused foreign powers of backing them.


The Chinese Communist Party sends out big signals - in vague terminology

by Stephen McDonell, BBC China correspondent

It's on! …but what is "it"?

A four-day plenum session in the Chinese capital this week clearly had the Hong Kong political crisis way up on its agenda.

Shen Chunyao, a senior official from the Hong Kong and Macau Basic Law Committee, was one of the speakers at a press conference after the session. This is no accident.

He said they were looking to "perfect" the system of appointing and replacing Hong Kong's leader. What does that mean?

The chief executive is currently selected by a committee stacked with pro-Beijing loyalists; protesters are calling instead for direct elections to choose the city's leader. There's nothing to indicate that any changes would be moving in the direction activists want but, in truth, we simply don't know and the party seems to like it that way.

The communiqué also pledged to establish "a legal system and enforcement mechanism for safeguarding national security" in Hong Kong.

Analysts think this could mean the central government introducing national security laws which could be imposed on Hong Kong from Beijing but - again - who knows?

Mr Shen said "of course" the topic of the protests was discussed at the plenum, a meeting of China's ruling Communist Party leaders which took place behind closed doors this week

He said the leaders discussed ways "to improve the central government's mechanism of appointing and removing Hong Kong's chief executive and other key officials", adding that Beijing would "improve the central government's system of governance over the region".

Currently, Hong Kong - a former British colony - operates on a basis known as "one country, two systems", giving residents unique freedoms which mainland China does not enjoy.

But protesters say those freedoms have eroded. Meanwhile, the plenum has emphasised that "one country" is the foundation for "two systems", according to news agency Reuters.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×