A leader of Beijing’s top think tank on Hong Kong said on Friday that a plan to put the SAR’s affairs under the direct scrutiny of the Communist Party demonstrates that One Country, Two Systems has been elevated to a new level.

Under a proposal to revamp the party and the government’s structure, the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) will morph into a new high-level body that answers to the Communist Party of China Central Committee, rather than the State Council.

Tam Yiu-chung, vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, told RTHK that this move should be seen as a promotion of the HKMAO.

“As a matter of fact, the party leads the country. Hong Kong and Macau affairs will now be managed by the core leadership of the Party rather than the State Council, isn’t it a promotion? I believe that after it comes under the leadership of the Central Committee, some Hong Kong issues will then be resolved more easily,” he said.

Tam, a former member of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, said the current title of the office will probably be preserved, noting there are other departments on the mainland that have an office under both the State Council and the Party.

“Of course it will mainly be answerable to the Party, but the other title will still be preserved,” he said.

Tam said the structure of the body has to be adjusted in accordance with the country’s development strategy.