Visiting Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee greeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Dec 16, 2025. - AP
BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed full support for Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, praising his administration’s performance after a year defined by a deadly fire, a financial turnaround and the conviction of the city’s top national security target.
During Lee’s annual duty visit to Beijing on Tuesday (Dec 16), Xi said the central government "fully affirms” his work in safeguarding national sovereignty and steering the semi-autonomous financial hub "from order to prosperity.”
"The government has resolutely safeguarded national sovereignty, security, and development interests,” Xi said, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
The endorsement follows Monday’s guilty verdict for former media mogul Jimmy Lai, who backed a pro-democracy movement seen as challenging the Communist Party’s rule in the former British colony.
Speaking to reporters in Beijing after the meeting, Lee said he explicitly reported the conviction to Xi. The Chinese president offered "strong recognition” of the city’s efforts and extended his support to Lee’s administration and the judiciary in their duty to safeguard national security, according to the Hong Kong leader.
The 78-year-old is the most prominent target of a Beijing-imposed National Security Law to curb dissent following mass protests in 2019. Western governments have condemned the trial as politically motivated and called for his release. Hong Kong has defended the judiciary’s decision and decried attempts to interfere in its affairs.
Beyond security, Xi highlighted the "steady” growth of the city’s economy. Xi urged Hong Kong to "proactively align” with China’s upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan and deepen its role in the Greater Bay Area, which looks to meld Hong Kong, Macau and several mainland cities into an innovation hub that rivals the San Francisco Bay Area.
Hong Kong has seen its shine as the financial centre return this year as share sales jumped, making it the No. 1 fundraising spot in Asia for the first time since 2013, ranking just behind the US globally.
The talks also addressed the Tai Po fire that killed at least 160 people last month. Xi expressed deep condolences and support for the local government to support disaster victims and pursue accountability, Lee said. - Bloomberg
