China to ‘Perfect’ Hong Kong Leader Appointment System, Warns on National Security

China to ‘Perfect’ Hong Kong Leader Appointment System, Warns on National Security
Chinese leader Xi Jinping delivers a speech during the opening session of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Oct. 18, 2017. Etienne Oliveau/Getty Images
Reuters
Updated:
BEIJING—China will “perfect” the way the leader of Hong Kong is appointed and replaced, and won’t tolerate separatism or threats to national security there, a senior Chinese official said on Nov. 1 after a meeting of the top leadership.

The past five months of pro-democracy protests in the former British colony represents a major popular challenge to Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government since he took over the leadership in late 2012.