Zhang confirms policy on SARs ‘unchanged’
The central government “remains unchanged” in its policies toward Hong Kong and Macao “beyond all doubt”, Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Zhang Xiaoming said on Friday.
Zhang was responding to concerns raised after Premier Li Keqiang did not mention routine terms such as “Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong”, “Macao people governing Macao” and “a high degree of autonomy” in the Government Work Report on Monday.
Instead, Li only said the central government would continue to uphold the “one country, two systems” principle.
Meeting the media during the 13th National People’s Congress in Beijing, Zhang said he hoped people would not overinterpret the situation.
“The principle of ‘one country, two systems’ has already included the connotations of ‘Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong’, ‘Macao people governing Macao’, and ‘a high degree of autonomy’ for both regions,” he said.
Zhang also said the central government would continue to implement the principle.
He said upholding “one country, two systems” is one of the fundamental policies formulated at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics for the new era.
Listing the principle as part of the basic policy meant upholding the principle would be a “long-term task”, Zhang explained.
Currently, work related to Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions is conducted with emphasis on fully and faithfully understanding and implementing the “one country, two systems” principle, Zhang added.
Moreover, limited space in the report, which gave a full picture of the country’s development, might have added to the omission, he explained.
The “one country, two systems” principle has achieved great success and won widespread recognition at home and abroad, Zhang noted.
“Why would the central government change the policy given that it has been a success and widely supported by people from Hong Kong, Macao and the mainland?” he asked.
The central government values issues in Hong Kong and Macao SARs, and cares about compatriots in both SARs, Zhang concluded.
Laws and regulations need to be enhanced and new mechanisms created to improve the flow of talents, goods, capital and information within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Zhang Xiaoming said on Friday.
GBA development was a top priority for the government, having been upgraded to a national-level issue, Zhang said.
Meeting the press at the “ministers’ passage” during the first session of the 13th National People’s Congress, Zhang said the plan was written into the report at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China delivered last October, and Government Work Report announced on Monday, indicating its importance.
Zhang also referred to President Xi Jinping’s remarks at a Guangdong delegation meeting, quoting the president as saying “the development of bay area must be well-handled”.
The next step required efforts to improve the flow of talents, goods, capital and information within the bay area, Zhang said.
Governments of the mainland cities and two special administrative regions in the GBA should craft ways to give full play to respective strengths and supplement each other, he added.
Zhang expressed confidence in the Greater Bay Area, expecting it to become a world-class innovation and technology hub and excellent city cluster for Hong Kong and Macao people to settle in.
Joining him was country’s top economic planning official. As a “millennium plan” and a far-reaching strategy, GBA development should be more efficient, in order, and effective in the next stage, He Lifeng, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said.
It is necessary to plan the development well first, especially in speeding up the special planning for industrial development, transport and the environment, He told a media session.
Talks over setting up a mechanism to facilitate the flow of talents, goods and capital in the bay area should speed up, he added.
Governments of the mainland cities and two special administrative regions in the GBA should craft ways to give full play to respective strengths and supplement each other.”
Zhang Xiaoming, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council