China's new top Hong Kong official hopes city will return to 'right path'

Beijing’s new top envoy to Hong Kong has said he hoped the protest-ravaged city would “return to the right path” in his first statement since taking up his post. Luo Huining replaced Wang Zhimin as head of Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong – the most significant personnel change by China since violent pro-democracy protests erupted in the city nearly seven months ago.

On Monday the 65-year-old Luo delivered a short statement to reporters in Mandarin – not the city’s lingua franca Cantonese. He gave little clue as to whether Beijing’s approach towards the city would change as it convulses with popular anger against mainland rule.“In the past six months, Hong Kong’s situation has made everybody’s heart wrench. Everyone earnestly hopes that Hong Kong can return to the right path,” Luo said, declining to take questions from reporters.

Millions have come out on the streets since June last year in a wave of protests sparked by opposition to a now-abandoned proposal to allow extraditions to mainland China.

Read more