Beijing’s top representative in Hong Kong has expressed confidence in the city’s ability to achieve greater development by further integrating into the country, while the chief executive has said authorities are moving “at full speed” to draw up the first five-year plan to align with the national blueprint.
Speaking at a cultural gala marking the 29th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese sovereignty on Tuesday evening, liaison office director Zhou Ji said he believed Hong Kong, with “the full care and support of the central government”, would be able to “seize strategic opportunities, better coordinate development and security, innovate and seek change, boost the economy, pursue development, promote reform and improve people’s livelihoods”.
He also expressed confidence Hong Kong would successfully formulate its first five-year plan and further serve the overall development of the country.
Zhou said Hong Kong had overcome successive challenges since its return to Chinese rule, including the Asian financial crisis, the global financial crisis, Sars, the Covid-19 pandemic and social unrest.
Hong Kong had become “one of the safest cities in the world” under the national security law, he added.
“The motherland regards Hong Kong as a pearl in its palm, and President Xi Jinping has always cared deeply about Hong Kong and kept it close to his heart,” Zhou said.
He also mentioned the city’s first astronaut, payload specialist Lai Ka-ying, who is currently aboard the Shenzhou-23 mission.
“The pace of Hong Kong’s integration into the overall development of the country is accelerating. The city is deeply engaged in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, working hand in hand with Guangdong and Macau to successfully host the 15th National Games,” he said.
“Furthermore, Lai Ka-ying [...] has honourably participated in a major national space mission and is currently journeying through the vastness of space.”
Zhou added: “Practice has fully proven that one country, two systems is the best institutional arrangement for maintaining Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability, and this good system must be upheld over the long term.”
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the government was pressing ahead with the city’s first five-year plan “at full speed” to align with the national 15th five-year plan, “so that Hong Kong can better integrate into and serve the country’s overall development”.
In his speech, Lee highlighted his administration’s achievements over the past year, saying the economy had “picked up pace”, with gross domestic product growing 5.9 per cent in the first quarter – the strongest quarterly growth in nearly five years.
He also said housing remained residents’ “greatest concern”, and that the government had accelerated construction of public housing, launched 30,000 light public housing flats to shorten waiting times for permanent homes, and recovered about 10,000 public rental units by cracking down on tenancy abuse.
He said the average waiting time for public housing had fallen to 4.7 years, “one and a half years shorter” than before and the lowest level in more than eight years.
Lee attributed these results to a better combination of “a proactive government with an efficient market”, adding that the administration had been willing to “break through vested interests”, remain results-oriented, and pursue reform.
Looking ahead, he said the government would accelerate development of the Northern Metropolis megaproject as “a new engine” for Hong Kong’s economic and social development centred on universities, industry and innovation and technology, while continuing to improve livelihoods.
The event, organised by the Hong Kong Celebrations Association, featured performances by local pop star Kenny “Bee” Chung Chun-to, rock band Killer Soap, and mainland Chinese soprano Wu Bixia, as well as dancing robots.
Apart from Lee and Zhou, officiating guests who took to the stage included finance chief Paul Chan Mo-po and former chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
