Beijing (AFP)

China announced Saturday the replacement of its representative in Hong Kong, a change which seems to illustrate the will of Beijing of a recovery in the conflict which is bogged down with the pro-democracy demonstrators in the autonomous territory.

Wang Zhimin, 62, "was removed from his post as director of the Liaison Office" for Hong Kong affairs and was replaced by Luo Huining, public television CCTV said.

The Liaison Office, a symbol of Beijing's presence in Hong Kong, has been targeted by protesters on several occasions as it represents the central government in the former British colony since its handover to China in 1997.

In July, he was notably the target of egg throwing and graffiti. Beijing then denounced acts "absolutely intolerable" and called for "punishing the guilty".

The new head of the office, Luo Huining, 65, is the former head of Shanxi Province (center). In late December, the Party official was promoted to vice chairman of the Chinese Parliament's Financial and Economic Affairs Committee, according to local media.

Hong Kong executive chief Carrie Lam said in a statement that she had "no doubts" that the new representative of Chinese power would promote "the integration of Hong Kong into the overall development of the nation and a positive relationship between the mainland and Hong Kong. "

- Economic response -

She also thanked Wang Zhimin for the "unwavering support" he had given to his government during the crisis.

His appointment comes while the autonomous territory has been plagued since June by a conflict unprecedented by its duration and its violence, which the local authorities cannot appease to the chagrin of Beijing.

According to Lau Yui-siu, a political commentator, China is seeking an economic response to a political crisis. The appointment of Luo "indicates that Beijing will focus on economic development policies, improving people's living conditions and integration" of Hong Kong, he said.

Luo Huining "has ruled certain disadvantaged provinces (...) and this has enabled him to acquire a different experience from that of civil servants with a training in law and politics like Wang Zhimin", his predecessor, he indicates to AFP.

Under the principle "One country, two systems", Hong Kong theoretically enjoys until 2047 a semi-autonomy and very broad freedoms that do not exist in mainland China, such as independent justice and freedom of expression .

But the territory of more than 7 million inhabitants has been shaken since June by demonstrations, often violent, of activists who denounce Beijing's deemed growing interference in its affairs and demand democratic reforms.

© 2020 AFP