Isaac Lawrence / AFP | China's National People's Congress Standing Committee Chairman Zhang Dejiang speaks to the media after arriving at Hong Kong's International Airport on May 17, 2016

A top Chinese official began a rare visit to Hong Kong amid tight security on Tuesday, vowing to listen to residents’ political concerns in a city where calls for greater autonomy or even independence from Beijing have become increasingly strident.

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The visit by Zhang Dejiang, who chairs China’s communist-controlled legislature, is the first by a senior Chinese figure since the 2014 Occupy democracy protests. Zhang's official purpose is to attend an economic summit.

However, his first comments addressed the hot-button political issue of Hong Kong’s relationship with China, a topic that has sparked fierce debate in the Asian financial hub.

“(I will listen to) all sectors of society’s suggestions and demands on how ... the country and Hong Kong should develop,” Zhang told reporters at the Hong Kong airport.

Following the unsuccessful Occupy protests of 2014, a handful of activists have been calling for an outright breakaway from China, a move some say would imperil Hong Kong’s economic and political future.

“These young people have no idea that they could be putting Hong Kong on a potentially dangerous collision course with the motherland and bringing an unmitigated disaster,” wrote former top Hong Kong security official Regina Ip in a recent editorial in the state-run China Daily.

Zhang, a member of the politburo standing committee, will meet with a group of veteran pro-democracy lawmakers Wednesday evening, a rare move observers say is designed to defuse frustrations over stalled political reform.

Security lockdown

However, with tensions high in the city and thousands of police mobilised for Zhang’s visit, protest groups have been infuriated by a security operation that includes barricading protesters into designated areas out of Zhang’s sight.

“Zhang Dejiang is coming here to understand the situation in Hong Kong but now his eyesight will be completely blocked,” said Sham Tsz-kit of Civil Human Rights Front.

Layers of large, water-filled plastic barricades cordoned off roads while paving stones have been glued down to prevent protesters using them as missiles.

The water barricades with a gate - likely taller than most ppl in #HongKong. #China #Zhangdejiang pic.twitter.com/4cv6l3Skkh — Fion Li (@fion_li) 16 May 2016

That comes after demonstrators levered up bricks during running battles with police in February.

Police are even patrolling Lion Rock – a hill on the other side of the harbour where pro-democracy protests banners have regularly been unfurled.

However, activists still managed to hang a banner calling for universal suffrage on a nearby hillside Tuesday morning.

Another banner, demanding the “end of Communist Party dictatorship”, was hung on a highway from the airport into the city.

A small group of pro-democracy protesters including student leader Joshua Wong chanted and held up signs calling for universal suffrage and self-determination near Zhang’s hotel as he arrived.

One tried to breach the barricade and was tackled to the ground by police.

He came to "see" but #ZhangDejiang won't see @demosisto's Nathan Law wrestled to grd in Wan Chai for trying protest pic.twitter.com/xIkqSBKepj — Yuen Chan (@xinwenxiaojie) 17 May 2016

There was also a rival group of pro-China demonstrators, who waved national flags.

‘Closely monitored’

Hong Kong guarantees freedom of expression under the agreement that saw Britain return its former colony to Beijing in 1997, but authorities haven’t ruled out taking action against pro-independence activists who step out of line during the visit.

“Any suggestion that [Hong Kong] should be independent or any movement to advocate such independence ... would be inconsistent with the legal status of Hong Kong,” the Department of Justice (DOJ) told Reuters.

The DOJ said it was watching for “possible criminal activities” and would “closely monitor the situation, maintain close liaison with the relevant law enforcement agencies, and take such action as may be necessary.”

Hong Kong authorities said the “counter-terrorism security measures” were needed to ensure the safety of dignitaries during the visit.

Hong Kong relies on China for vast sections of its economy, as well as much of its food, water and electricity, making independence almost impossible in practice.

China’s foreign ministry said pushing for independence would harm Hong Kong’s security, prosperity and stability.

“A lot of people in Hong Kong have jobs associated with the mainland,” said Holden Chow, vice-chairman of the DAB party, Hong Kong’s largest pro-Beijing political party.

“If there are no more economic ties ... then where are the jobs? There would be a rise in unemployment.”

Observers with close ties to Chinese officials say one of Zhang’s priorities will be establishing relations with more moderate democrats to lower the heat.

“He will send a positive signal to any pan-democrat who is willing to have a dialogue with China,” said Michael Tien, a Hong Kong delegate to China's parliament, the National People's Congress.

“This must be one of his key missions: To make sure the signal is strong enough that the electorate won’t lambast the moderate pan-democrats and give all their votes to the extremists.”

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, REUTERS)

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