China’s Communist party has replaced a top official governing Hong Kong affairs, enlisting the expertise of a senior leader pulled out of semi-retirement as the territory contends with protests and the outbreak of coronavirus.

Zhang Xiaoming, director of the Hong Kong and Macau affairs office since late 2017, will be demoted, the State Council announced. The office oversees the affairs of the two special administrative regions from Beijing.

Xia Baolong, 67, will succeed Mr Zhang, the State Council said. Mr Xia has no known experience with Hong Kong affairs and has since 2018 been a vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, a role usually reserved for elderly politicians who have been called back to Beijing after a successful career as a top official governing major Chinese provinces.