Hong Kong’s next leader was sworn in on Friday as it marked 25 years since its return to Chinese rule. John Lee was sworn in during a ceremony that was overseen by Chinese President Xi Jinping. This trip was the first by Xi Jinping outside mainland China since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Lee is a former security chief and promised to solve Hong Kong’s problems one by one, while promoting the city’s image overseas. The city had some of the longest lasting Covid-19 restrictions, impacting the financial center’s reputation. A strict national security law also caused Hong Kongers and expatriates to leave the city in droves. After Lee was sworn in, Xi spoke on how Hong Kong is now governed by patriots. Lee is one of the Hong Kong officials sanctioned by the United States due to efforts undermining the autonomy and democratic rights of the city.

Read more: Hong Kong’s new leader sworn in as Xi hails rule by ‘patriots’