Party values HK’s prosperity and stability: Central finance official
The country’s ruling party greatly values Hong Kong’s lasting prosperity and stability, a finance official from the central government said on Thursday.
Yi Gang, deputy director of the General Office of the Central Leading Group for Financial and Economic Affairs, made the remarks while hosting a public seminar in Hong Kong. He was elaborating on details of the recent report released at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
The seminar was organized by the Our Hong Kong Foundation — one of the special administrative region’s leading think tanks.
It is the first such public event held in the city regarding a CPC national congress since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland in 1997.
In the one-and-half hour talk, Yi said the Party greatly valued the city’s long-term prosperity and stability. He also noted that the CPC attaches great importance to Hong Kong’s advanced experience in the service sector. Yi said the Chinese mainland would learn from the SAR to enhance its own services industry.
He also discussed Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, which was enshrined in the CPC Constitution on Oct 24, as well as the basic policies for carrying out the thought.
He stressed the importance of the Party’s Two Centenaries strategic goals, which set out a blueprint for the nation’s development. They aim to achieve a moderately prosperous society by the CPC’s centenary in 2021, and a modern socialist country when the People’s Republic of China, established in 1949, celebrates its centenary.
New strategies were outlined in the report on the country’s economic and social development to achieve the goals, Yi said. These include supporting Hong Kong in upholding the principle of “one country, two systems” and the city’s integration into the nation’s overall development.
Attendees from different walks of life praised Yi’s talk, saying it presented a new outlook for the country and fresh opportunities arising from it.
Stanley Ng Chau-pei, National People’s Congress deputy and chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, said that following the 19th CPC National Congress, Hong Kong should find new ways to benefit from the country’s rapid development.
He also said the briefing had provided guidance for young people from the SAR so they can help in the nation’s development.
Permanent Honorary President of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce Jonathan Choi Koon-shum said the briefing group’s visit to Hong Kong is important. It has made the country’s ideas clearer to many local people who had limited knowledge of the congress.
Francis Lui Ting-ming, professor emeritus in economics at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said Yi’s speech had laid out a convincing blueprint for the country’s future development. He added that Hong Kong should use the framework the speech provided to take advantage of new opportunities.
David Wong Yau-kar, chairman of Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority, considered the talk “very useful”. The SAR needs better understanding of the nation’s development and future plans — as well as Hong Kong’s role in this.
“As the 19th CPC National Congress made repeated references to Hong Kong and the ‘one country, two systems’ policy, Hong Kong must understand the significant historic mission entrusted upon us,” Wong said.