Beijingโs new liaison office chief in Hong Kong, Zhou Ji, has already distinguished himself from his predecessors just five days into the job.
Breaking with tradition, Zhou made his first public appearance by carrying out community visits to Sham Shui Po and Tsing Yi, two days after being appointed as director on Friday. This was followed by an unusual reciprocal visit by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Monday, their second meeting in three days.
Observers said that Zhouโs approach and the latest liaison office line-up โ a new director with local government and corporate experience helped by deputies with diplomatic networks โ reflected Beijingโs shifting emphasis on the cityโs economic development and its gateway role for mainland Chinese firms to expand overseas.
Zhou, 61, replaced Zheng Yanxiong, who was appointed liaison office chief in January 2023 and came to Hong Kong in 2020 for a key national security role.
He is also an adviser to Hong Kongโs national security committee and the executive deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO), second in line to director Xia Baolong.
Zhouโs liaison office appointment comes amid heightened trade tensions between China and the US, with the two countries accusing each other of violating a tariff truce reached in Geneva last month.