Chinese state media has reported that the country had replaced its top envoy to Hong Kong, the most significant personnel change since democracy protests broke out in the city last year.
"Wang Zhimin has been dismissed from his position as head of the Liaison Office" for Hong Kong affairs and was replaced by Luo Huining, state broadcaster CCTV said, without giving details.
Hong Kong has been battered by nearly seven months of unrest - its biggest political crisis in decades -which has seen millions come out on the streets demanding greater democratic freedoms.
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Ordinarily, communications between Beijing and Hong Kong are conducted through a Chinese government body: the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong.
Mr Wang was the most senior mainland political official stationed in Hong Kong.
The new liaison office head will be 65-year-old Luo Huining, who was semi-retired after being removed from his position as the secretary of the Shanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.
Mr Wang is the shortest serving Liaison office director since 1997.
