Veteran Chinese Economic Crime Investigator Appointed to HKMAO Discipline Role

A veteran mainland Chinese economic crime investigator and former police official has been appointed to lead the discipline inspection and supervision group at Beijing’s top office overseeing Hong Kong affairs.

Hua Liebing, a former director of the Ministry of Public Security’s economic crime investigation bureau, fills the vacancy at the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) left by Geng Changyou, who stepped down last year to become secretary of Hebei’s Commission for Discipline Inspection.

The new appointment was revealed on Tuesday when the office updated its organisation chart on its website.

It marked another change in the office’s top ranks following the selection of Zhang Dongmei, a former vice-president of the All-China Women’s Federation, as a deputy director in March.

Hua’s appointment brings the HKMAO’s senior leadership to seven members. They include Xia Baolong, who has led the HKMAO since 2020, and deputy director Zhou Ji, who also serves as the director of Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong.

The appointment came a day after a meeting of the HKMAO’s leading group for party building, which was also attended by members of the discipline inspection and supervision group.