![Xi Jinping brought Hong Kong to heel. Now he's coming back to a city transformed](https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/220629100302-01-xi-hong-kong-25-super-tease.jpg)
Xi Jinping brought Hong Kong to heel. Now he's coming back to a city transformed
CNN
Chinese and Hong Kong flags flutter above streets and red celebratory banners line the harbor front, as thousands of Hong Kong police guard the city's high-speed rail terminus, awaiting the arrival of Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
In his first trip outside mainland China since the start of the pandemic, Xi is coming to Hong Kong to mark the 25th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule -- a highly symbolic event at a pivotal time for both the city, and Xi himself.
The former British colony is midway through the 50-year promise of "a high degree of autonomy," given by Beijing under a framework known as "one country, two systems." It is also swearing in its newly appointed leader, hardline former police officer John Lee.
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