Zhang Xiaoming

Zhang Xiaoming (born September 1963) is a Chinese politician currently serving as the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong. He is an alternate member of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.^[1]

Biography

Zhang was born in Taizhou, Jiangsu in September 1963. He graduated from Southwest University of Political Science & Law and Renmin University of China in 1984, where he majored in law. He studied under Gao Mingxuan (Chinese: 高铭暄), who is a famous jurist in China. Zhang received an LLM from Renmin University of China in 1986.^[2]

In 1986, Zhang was assigned to Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office as a secretary for Liao Hui. Since 18 December 2012, Zhang has been serving as director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and spearheads the CCP's efforts against the democratic movement in the former British colony; in a widely reported incident he stated to pro-democratic legislative council member Leung Yiu-chung that "the fact that you are allowed to stay alive already shows the country's inclusiveness".^[3]

In September 2015, Zhang stirred controversy in Hong Kong after claiming that the Chief Executive of Hong Kong has a "special legal position which overrides administrative, legislative and judicial organs" and that separation of powers is "not suitable for Hong Kong".^[4] Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying subsequently affirmed that his position is "transcendent" of the branches of the state.^[4]

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