The annual plenary meetings of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), commonly known as the two sessions, will convene in Beijing next week. Thirty-six Hong Kong deputies to the NPC and 195 Hong Kong members of the CPPCC National Committee are set to participate in reviewing the central government’s work report and other key documents, as well as to engage in deliberations on national affairs along with national leaders. This is a vital mechanism for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to participate in national governance, as well as a good opportunity for the city’s delegates to articulate the Hong Kong story.

Over the past year, Hong Kong has made significant achievements, reflecting the tireless efforts of the chief executive, the SAR government and all sectors of society, as well as the steadfast support from the central government. Amid a turbulent global environment, both Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland have navigated challenges with resilience. Hong Kong delegates, who are expected to tell the Hong Kong story at the upcoming two sessions, should highlight the city’s progress and achievements in the following four areas.

Safeguarding national security  

Last year, Hong Kong fulfilled an overdue constitutional duty by enacting the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) on March 23, a historic move that fixed a legal lacuna that had existed for 27 years. With central government backing, the completion of Basic Law Article 23 legislation fortified the legal framework safeguarding national security in the SAR, laying a solid foundation for Hong Kong’s long-term stability and prosperity. The national security regime constituted by the SNSO and the National Security Law for Hong Kong promulgated in 2020 has effectively brought an end to the chaos and turmoil that plagued the city in 2019-20. This milestone underscores the intrinsic link between national security and the SAR’s security, social stability, economic development and livelihood improvements.

Central government support

On Oct 1, the Fuxing high-speed sleeper train services connecting Hong Kong to Beijing and Shanghai were launched, which significantly shortens the travel times. This was one of the favorable measures the central government implemented last year for the benefit of Hong Kong. Amid economic headwinds, the central authorities stepped up efforts to support Hong Kong’s economic recovery. In February 2024, Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, conducted a seven-day inspection tour of Hong Kong. Aside from conveying the central authorities’ commitment to continued support for the SAR, he explored ways to help the city cope with the challenges it faced.

Subsequent to his inspection tour, the central government launched a slew of support measures quickly, including expanding the Individual Visit Scheme to 59 mainland cities, raising duty-free shopping allowances for mainland tourists to 15,000 yuan ($2,064), easing travel policies for non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents, and reinstating the multiple-entry permit arrangement for Shenzhen residents. These measures have injected vitality into Hong Kong’s consumer market. According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, mainland visitors surged to 34 million in 2024, a 27 percent year-on-year increase, accounting for 75 percent of total visitor arrivals. During the 2025 Chinese New Year holiday, over 1.06 million mainland residents visited Hong Kong in the first seven days, a record high since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is another shining facet of the Hong Kong story.

Proactive governance philosophy at work

The HKSAR government’s efforts to tackle the housing shortage, a longstanding conundrum in the city, have seen tangible progress. By the end of 2024, the average waiting time for a public rental housing unit dropped to 5.3 years — a six-year low and a 0.8-year reduction from the 6.1 years in March 2022.

Another development well worth celebrating is the completion of two major infrastructure projects in Hong Kong. The Kai Tak Sports Park, which is due to open on Saturday, provides world-class facilities that will bolster Hong Kong’s status as the “capital of international events” as well as enhance residents’ quality of life. Meanwhile, the three-runway system at Hong Kong International Airport, which has been operational since November, boosts the airport’s annual capacity to 120 million passengers and 10 million metric tons of cargo, cementing the city’s role as a global aviation hub. These achievements embody the synergy of public aspirations, central government expectations, and SAR government action, highlighting the effectiveness of executive-led governance.

HK’s development and national contributions

In his speech delivered at the 25th anniversary of the Macao Special Administrative Region on Dec 20, President Xi Jinping declared that the practice of “one country, two systems” has entered a new stage, emphasizing that the mission of “one country, two systems” in the new era is to boost socioeconomic development in the two SARs while making greater contribution to national development and rejuvenation.

In this regard, the resolution adopted by the third plenum of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has provided clear guidance: The two SARs should deepen their cooperation with other partner cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area by furthering regulatory and institutional alignment.

The alignment of the Hong Kong SAR’s socioeconomic development with national strategies is gaining pace under the proactive governance philosophy of the incumbent administration. This is another prominent feature of the Hong Kong story as well as a new feature in the practice of the “one country, two systems” principle.

Hong Kong deputies to the NPC and members of the CPPCC National Committee are part of the patriotic team in the SAR; they play a pivotal role in national governance and the SAR’s governance. For instance, Hong Kong CPPCC National Committee members submitted 577 proposals during last year’s two sessions.

Hong Kong deputies to the NPC and members of the CPPCC National Committee should articulate the Hong Kong story well at the two sessions, with the aim of securing more support policies from the central authorities and fostering mainland compatriots’ understanding of the SAR.

The author is vice-chairman of the Committee on Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and chairman of the Hong Kong New Era Development Thinktank.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.