Xia encourages HK, Macao delegates to fulfill duties, engage in State affairs

Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, met with the national political advisers from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions in Beijing on Monday, calling on them to fulfill their duties during the two sessions.

The meeting coincided with the opening of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. The CPPCC National Committee, the country’s top political advisory body, includes over 180 members from Hong Kong and 38 from Macao.

Xia encouraged the SARs’ advisers to actively engage in State affairs and contribute to maintaining Hong Kong and Macao’s long-term prosperity and stability, while supporting national development and rejuvenation.

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He is also scheduled to meet with National People’s Congress deputies from the SARs — 36 from Hong Kong and 12 from Macao — as the top national legislature opens today.

Upon their arrival in Beijing, the national lawmakers said they are eager to learn more about the progress of China’s development and further advance the SARs’ integration into national development.

Starry Lee Wai-king, a member of the NPC Standing Committee, noted that this year marks the end of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), which outlined key goals for strengthening Hong Kong’s status as an international center.

China’s annual political meetings provide a good opportunity for reviewing the city’s contributions to national development and also offer a platform for putting forward constructive suggestions for the next five-year plan, she said.

Lee said she is looking forward to hearing the Government Work Report to be delivered by Premier Li Qiang during the two sessions. The report summarizes the work done in the previous year and outlines the vision behind the path to Chinese modernization for the coming year.

Expressing her confidence in the country’s ability to drive economic growth, Lee said she believes the central government will introduce more policies to stimulate private enterprises’ investment on the Chinese mainland and in Hong Kong.

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NPC deputy Ronick Chan Chunying, who is also a Hong Kong lawmaker, said he expects to see additional policy instruments introduced in the Government Work Report in order to drive domestic demand, which in turn would provide momentum for sustainable GDP growth.

Jimmy Ng Wing-ka, also an NPC deputy from Hong Kong, said he is interested in learning about how the country will utilize artificial intelligence and other technologies to accelerate industrial upgrades.

Many of the Hong Kong representatives attending the two sessions share a keen interest in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

NPC deputy Maggie Chan Man-ki emphasized the need to boost talent exchanges in the Greater Bay Area, while Peter Shiu Ka-fai, a member of the CPPCC National Committee from Hong Kong, expressed the hope for new measures to bolster the tourism industry in the area.

Ho Sut-heng, an NPC deputy from Macao, said she is confident in the country’s high-quality development.

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Ho said that during the NPC session, she will focus on new policies that will further advance the development of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, which is a vital platform for expanding Macao’s economic diversification and facilitating its integration into national development.

Vong Kam-fai, also an NPC deputy from Macao, said he will delve into issues such as Macao’s role in the Greater Bay Area’s development and on how to leverage the city’s connections with Portuguese-speaking economies to fuel the country’s growth.

Contact the writer at williamxu@chinadailyhk.com