Beijing’s top man on Hong Kong affairs on Sunday became the first central government official to address lawmakers in the Legislative Council chamber, telling them that the presence of opposing views did not equate to “quality democracy”.

The closed-door meeting featuring Xia Baolong, director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, marked a shift from previous years, when then heads of Beijing’s liaison office, Zhang Xiaoming and Wang Zhimin only spoke to lawmakers during lunches at the complex’s dining hall.

Xia was also the first state official to visit the Legco complex, whose chamber was once occupied by protesters at the height of the 2019 anti-government demonstrations.