China’s Xi Tells Hong Kong to Focus on Business After Turmoil
- President pivots to more optimistic message after crackdown
- Visit leaves key questions about Asian hub’s future unanswered
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Chinese President Xi Jinping urged Hong Kong to shore up its economy after an era of “chaos,” in a landmark visit that offered few clear answers for how to balance Beijing’s demands for limiting perceived foreign threats with its desire to remain an international financial hub.
Xi delivered a defiantly optimistic vision for Hong Kong at an event Friday to celebrate the former British colony’s 25th anniversary of Chinese rule. In remarks after swearing in the city’s new, security-minded leader, Xi attempted to move past a tumultuous period of social unrest and pandemic shocks that drew international criticism and left many wondering whether the city could remain a viable bridge between China and the outside world.