Days after a sweeping leadership reshuffle of China's ruling Communist Party in November 2002, then Premier Zhu Rongji set foot in Hong Kong to reassure the city that the next generation of Chinese leaders will not leave it out to dry.
Describing the former British colony as "a bright pearl with great hope and prospects", Mr Zhu told a welcoming banquet: "If Hong Kong were ruined in our hands, we would become sinners of the nation. This will not happen."
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you