President encourages Leung to keep working
CE elected with a landslide to become vice-chairman of the CPPCC National Committee at closing meeting
President Xi Jinping encouraged Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to continue making a contribution to the city and the nation.
This is after Leung was elected vice-chairman of the country’s top political advisory body — the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee on Monday.
After Leung was elected with landslide support from members of the CPPCC National Committee at the closing meeting of its annual session, Xi walked toward Leung and shook his hand. He then had a conversation with the Hong Kong leader for more than a minute.
“The president encouraged me to contribute more to Hong Kong and the country,” Leung revealed at a later press briefing.
Leung, 62, was the second Hong Kong top leader to be elected to the post. The city’s former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa has already worked in this capacity for 12 years since 2005. The pair are part of the 22 CPPCC National Committee vice-chairmen.
Before Tung and Leung, tycoon and philanthropist Henry Fok Ying-tung and industrialist Ann Tse-kai also held the same post.
Leung is the first person to hold the Hong Kong CE post and a State leadership position at the same time.
He said he was “honored” to have a chance to continue to serve Hong Kong and the nation.
“I and my fellow generation of Hong Kong people have witnessed and joined in the nation’s great development since the reform and openingup in late 1970s,” Leung said, adding he felt happy to continue his work in this new capacity.
Leung pledged to help Hong Kong — especially young people — seize opportunities provided by the nation’s rapid development.
Leung was elected CE in March 2012 and took office on July 1 that year. This year, a new CE will be elected.
Leung announced late last year he would not seek re-election in 2017 for family reasons. He will finish his term on June 30.
CPPCC member Tam Yiuchung said the majority of CPPCC members supported Leung in his election as vicechairman. This was because he had implemented the “One Country, Two Systems” policy well in Hong Kong.
Tam said it is good for Hong Kong to have a representative sitting at a top position in the country’s political system. Two Hong Kong people sitting as vice-chairmen of CPPCC National Committee also showed the central government attaches great importance to the city, added Tam.
As the CPPCC is only an advisory body, Tam believed Leung would not have any difficulties working in both capacities in the next three months.