Chinese president marks two decades of rule in Hong Kong

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived Thursday in Hong Kong for a three-day visit to mark 20 years since China took control of the former British colony. The trip is the president’s first visit to Hong Kong since he assumed office in 2012. In a brief speech on the tarmac following his arrival, Xi said he was thrilled to visit the island and he looked forward to working with its leaders to ensure the stable development of the nations’ “one country, two systems” agreement. Activists in Hong Kong fear China is backtracking on the agreement, which allows Hong Kong some limited democratic and civil liberties. Authorities arrested several activists and other protesters Wednesday night ahead of Xi’s visit. The president will oversee the inauguration of Hong Kong’s incoming Chief Executive Carrie Lam and also visit the army base to inspect the troops.

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