HK party calls for new ID system

The largest political party in Hong Kong suggested on Tuesday that the central government should make the identity information system for Hong Kong citizens compatible with the system used on the Chinese mainland.

The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong said the change would improve convenience for Hong Kong people in accessing services on the Chinese mainland. It would also contribute to “a better sense of belonging” among Hong Kong people, making them more willing to participate in the country’s development, the party said.

The remarks were made during a meeting with members of the media in Beijing.

For the new five-year term, the Hong Kong party has three deputies serving in the country’s top legislature, the National People’s Congress, and three members in the top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

Starry Lee Wai-king, a new CPPCC National Committee member and chairwoman of the party, said identity recognition would reduce the red tape Hong Kong people face when they want to study or work on the Chinese mainland.

Under the current rules, residents must apply for a work permit if they want to work on the mainland.

Identity recognition would give Hong Kong people easier access to career opportunities on the mainland, as they would be treated the same as their mainland compatriots. This would save significant time in applying and waiting for permits, Lee said.

Meanwhile, with their identities recognized on the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong people would enjoy more convenience in daily life, Lee said.

NPC deputy Tam Yiu-chung, a former chairman of the party, added that solving Hong Kong people’s identity compatibility issues on the mainland would encourage them to really look at the mainland market as a stage on which they can reach their full potential, progressing with the country.