President Xi Jinping will visit Hong Kong this week to celebrate 20 years since the former British colony's return to China, state media confirmed Sunday, a trip that will stoke resentment among pro-democracy activists. It will be Xi's first visit to Hong Kong since the head of the Communist Party became president in 2013. Xi will be in the city from Thursday to Sunday to attend a ceremony marking the anniversary of the handover, which took place on July 1, 1997. The Chinese leader will also take part in the inauguration of the fifth administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the semi-autonomous city's government.
Xinhua did not provide more details about the trip. Carrie Lam, a former career civil servant, was chosen in late March as the city's new chief executive and will be sworn in on July 1.