New top liaison official named for Hong Kong

The State Council, China's cabinet, appointed Luo Huining as top liaison official in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, replacing former director Wang Zhimin, Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday.

Luo's appointment as director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR took effect immediately.

Luo, who was born in 1954, served as Party secretary in Qinghai province (2013-2016) and Shanxi province (2016-2019).

In December 2018, he led a delegation from Shanxi to Hong Kong to promote business cooperation. Meeting with Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, he praised Hong Kong as a "gold mine" and spoke of the city's "irreplaceable role" in China's reform and opening-up in the new era.

In a statement on Saturday evening, Lam welcomed Luo to his new post and said she was impressed by his caring for Hong Kong during their talks in 2018.

Lam said she firmly believes the Liaison Office under his leadership will continue to work with the Hong Kong government for the city's prosperity and stability, and to facilitate the SAR's integration into national development.

Luo's appointment was much expected by highly placed Hong Kong's officials.

Tam Yiu-chung, Hong Kong's sole deputy to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said Luo's economics background and rich local experience as a provincial leader is a blessing for Hong Kong, a global financial hub.

Brave Chan Yung, a Hong Kong deputy to the NPC, said Luo's appointment can help Hong Kong to recover from an economic recession as the office will be directed by an economics expert who can blaze new trails in the mainland market.

Stanley Ng Chau-pei, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, the city's largest labor group, said he expected the experienced new director would come up with new ideas on Hong Kong's problems and would help to end the violence and restore peace and order.