Premier Li Keqiang’s warning on Hong Kong independence highlights Beijing’s displeasure, party mouthpiece says

Politicians who challenge law will pay the price, according to editorial on social media account run by People’s Daily overseas edition staff

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Premier Li Keqiang walks onstage to deliver a government work report during the opening session of the National People's Congress. Photo: Reuters

Published: 2:15pm, 6 Mar 2017Updated: 3:04pm, 6 Mar 2017

Premier Li Keqiang’s remark on Hong Kong independence in his work report highlights Beijing’s displeasure at developments in the city, according to a commentary run by the official newspaper of the Communist Party.

The editorial on Xiakedao, a social media account operated by People’s Daily overseas edition staff, was titled “Groundbreaking! Premier’s working report highlights ‘Hong Kong independence’ for the first time”. It criticised Hong Kong activists such as Occupy Central’s Joshua Wong Chi-fung for running political groups that did not openly call for separatism but were in essence working in that direction.

“Hong Kong independence advocates finally got the achievement of being singled out in the black and white documents of the central government,” the article said. “Just don’t feel proud about it – this is not ‘giving face’ and giving you exposure but an expression of displeasure.”

On Sunday, the premier unprecedentedly warned in his work report that the movement would “lead nowhere” while reiterating Beijing’s commitment to the principle of “one country, two systems” in Hong Kong, without it being “bent or distorted”.

The commentator said Occupy student leaders such as Wong and Alex Chow Yong-kang had transformed themselves into “young scholars who hoped to study declassified records in the United Kingdom, United States and Taiwan to dig up historical basis for so-called ‘self-determination’”.