Xi Jinping joined a series of lavish events, including a flag-raising ceremony, amid tight police security.

But clashes have taken place between pro-democracy and pro-Beijing demonstrators close to the site, with several arrests made.

In a speech, Mr Xi said Hong Kong now enjoyed more freedom than ever before.

It was his first visit to the city since becoming leader in 2013 and comes three years after mass pro-democracy rallies crippled parts of the territory for months.

The pro-democracy party, Demosisto, said police had arrested five of its members, and four members from the League of Social Democrats.

Among those said by the group to have been arrested was Joshua Wong, the leader of the so-called umbrella protest movement.

Meanwhile, Mr Xi has overseen the swearing in of the newly-elected chief executive of the territory, Carrie Lam, along with the rest of her cabinet. She is Hong Kong’s first female leader.

In a speech on Saturday the Chinese president said Hong Kong now enjoyed more freedom than ever before, but warned against “impermissible” challenges to Beijing’s authority over the city.

“Any attempt to endanger China’s sovereignty and security, challenge the power of the central government… or use Hong Kong to carry out infiltration and sabotage activities against the mainland is an act that crosses the red line and is absolutely impermissible,” he said.

It followed a ceremony in which the flags of China and Hong Kong were raised alongside one another to mark the 20-year anniversary of the city’s handover of British rule.

Helicopters flew overhead as onlookers cheered at the ceremony in Golden Bauhinia Square, central Hong Kong.

On Friday, an official protest zone near the convention centre where Mr Xi was guest of honour at an anniversary banquet and variety performance was heavily patrolled, as demonstrators gathered chanting “end one-party dictatorship”.

There is growing concern that the Chinese central government is undermining Hong Kong’s more politically liberal traditions, despite its promise to give it a high degree of autonomy under the “one country, two systems” principle.

Democracy campaigners clashed with pro-Beijing supporters near the venue, with police separating the two sides.

Among the pro-democracy activists was Mr Wong, who earlier told demonstrators that the only person responsible for “causing a public nuisance” was “Xi Jinping”.

He and 25 other activists were arrested on Wednesday for “breaking the ‘public nuisance’ law” after climbing into a golden sculpture of a bauhinia flower, Hong Kong’s emblem.

The sculpture, which sits by the city’s harbour front, was a gift from China and an iconic landmark symbolising the handover.

The demonstrators, who were demanding greater political freedoms, also called for the release of terminally ill Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo.

Mr Wong was released on Friday morning, the political party Demosisto, founded by him and legislator Nathan Law, said in a tweet.
Police said in a statement the activists had been released on bail and must report back to police in September. They have not been charged.

Their protest was the second one this week at the monument – activists had earlier draped a large black flag over the sculpture and were stopped by police.

President Xi earlier on Friday inspected troops at a local garrison as part of what was described as the largest military parade in the city since its handover to China in 1997, Reuters news agency reports.

Mr Xi gave a short speech on Thursday after his arrival where he pledged Beijing’s support for Hong Kong, and later met with the city’s outgoing leader Leung Chun-ying and other officials.

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Source: BBC

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According to media reports, the band members were held after a raid by police and immigration officers on a warehouse venue hosting their gig.

The founder of concert organisers Hidden Agenda was also arrested, the agency told the BBC.
Hidden Agenda events have run into trouble in the past, often over licence issues.

Concert-goers posting on the promoters’ Facebook page said about seven immigration officers came to detain the band members, citing issues with their work permits.

As the situation got more tense, several police cars arrived with officers in riot gear and police dogs, said the witnesses.

The three band members of TTNG, Hidden Agenda founder Hui Chung-wo and Mylets were then taken away by police and immigration officers.

Illegal employment?
Hidden Agenda told the BBC on Monday that Hui Chung-wo had been arrested, while the musicians had been released but were required to check in with the immigration authorities later in the day.

Hong Kong police confirmed to the BBC that several detentions had been made at the venue but would not give further details.

Under Hong Kong immigration law, the band members could be charged with working without the required permit, while the concert agency could be charged with hiring the bands as illegal workers.

Both offences can be punished with prison sentences of several years and hefty fines.

TTNG and Mylets are currently in the middle of a tour of Asia with upcoming dates on Tuesday in Guangzhou, followed by concerts in Beijing and Shanghai.

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Source: BBC

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