China Official Who Tore Down Church Crosses to Oversee Hong Kong
- Xia Baolong named to lead office responsible for restive city
- Official led push to strip crosses from churches in Zhejiang
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China named an official previously known for tearing crosses from the roofs of churches to lead the agency that oversees Hong Kong, in the biggest shakeup yet after months of unrest.
Xia Baolong, 67, the vice chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, will replace Zhang Xiaoming as director of the Hong Kong & Macau Affairs Office, the State Council said Thursday. Xia is a former close aide to President Xi Jinping who served as Communist Party chief of Zhejiang province during a crackdown on Christian churches several years ago.