HK’s unique role in opening-up stressed
Hong Kong will continue to play a unique role in the country’s quest to deepen reforms and globalize its economy, officials and industry executives said Monday.
They were attending a local symposium marking China’s 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up, hosted by the Commissioner’s Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Better Hong Kong Foundation.
In his welcoming remarks, Xie Feng, the Foreign Ministry’s commissioner in the HKSAR, said the new area of reform and opening-up needs Hong Kong’s participation, and will enable Hong Kong to prosper further.
Xie cited the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong KongMacao Greater Bay Area as among the country’s moves in the new round of reform and opening-up.
“During the process, Hong Kong will contribute what the country is in need of by bringing into full play its unique strength,” Xie said.
Xie appreciated Hong Kong’s contribution to the country in the past 40 years. He said the city’s business people and professionals pioneered in investing their time and skills on the mainland during the early days of reform.
The first joint-venture on the mainland was established by a Hong Kong company. The first five-star hotel on the Chinese mainland was built with money from Hong Kong investors, and the first auction of a State-owned land plot was completed with the participation of Hong Kong professionals, Xie said, noting that until now Hong Kong remains the biggest source of external investments on the Chinese mainland.
The SAR’s top leaders agreed with his call.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said the SAR will continue to use its strength to serve the country’s needs, with a goal to attain growth jointly with the country and sharing prosperity with all people.
“We are proud of our contribution, and are even more proud to witness the achievements of our country in the past 40 years,” she said.
Lam cited President Xi Jinping’s strategies to foster an open economy: pursue innovation-driven development and create new drivers of growth, enhance connectivity and achieve interconnected development and make economic development more inclusive.
Hong Kong can play a role in each of the strategies that Xi outlined, she said.
First, as a founding member of the World Trade Organization, Hong Kong is a staunch supporter of free trade and the rules-based multilateral system.
Second, the SAR is pressing ahead with nurturing new drivers of growth and innovation-driven development.
Third, on connectivity and inter-connected development, one key area in which Hong Kong seeks to contribute to the country’s development will be in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative. Finally, inclusiveness is highly relevant to today’s world.
“We will continue to reach out and connect with people of different countries and strengthen the bond between our economies,” Lam said.
Chief Secretary for Administrative Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said Hong Kong is both a contributor and beneficiary to the nation’s growth. He said Hong Kong’s proximity to the mainland has transformed the SAR into an international center for trade, finance and transport.
“Hong Kong will continue to contribute to the reform and opening-up by playing a key and constructive role for the long-term development and prosperity of the country,” Cheung said.
During the process, Hong Kong will contribute what the country is in need of by bringing into full play its unique strength.” Xie Feng, commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong SAR