Leaders: ‘One country, two systems’ will fuel nation’s development

Upholding the “one country, two systems” principle will provide many development opportunities for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the entire nation in future, leaders in Hong Kong said on Tuesday.

Their remarks came after President Xi Jinping made an important speech at a conference in Beijing on the same day, celebrating the country’s 40 years of reform and opening-up.

In the speech, Xi affirmed the vitality of “one country, two systems”, saying the country will implement the principle comprehensively and accurately to maintain the long-term prosperity and stability of the Hong Kong and Macao SARs.

Tam Yiu-chung, Hong Kong’s sole deputy to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislature, thought Xi’s speech made Hong Kong people more confident about the future and the “one country, two systems” principal.

Tam said Hong Kong should follow Xi’s instructions, and keep improving its institutional systems relating to the Basic Law.

Agreeing with Tam, Lau Siukai, vice-president of the nation’s top Hong Kong affairs think tank — the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies — said Xi’s remarks demonstrated the importance of the policy.

“One country, two systems” paves the way for sustaining the city’s development as Hong Kong was allowed to retain its unique strengths after the city returned to the motherland in 1997 — including its economic and legal systems, Lau noted.

In return, the city, which is governed by the principle, was able to make great contributions to the country’s prosperity and rejuvenation, Lau noted.

Witman Hung Wai-man, principal liaison officer of Shenzhen Qianhai special economic zone’s Hong Kong office, shared the same views as Lau.

Hung noted Hong Kong’s institutional systems and experience in city governance had been used as a reference in the early stages of the country’s landmark reform.

Hung, who is also a Hong Kong deputy to the NPC, said that under “one country, two systems”, the SAR could continue addressing new challenges arising from the country’s institutional development.

Echoing Hung, Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, vice-president of Fok Ying Tung Group, noted that Hong Kong’s prosperity today was supported by the country’s development.

Fok is an active player in Hong Kong’s youth affairs, and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the country’s top political advisory body. His late grandfather, Henry Fok Ying-tung, was one of the 100 people awarded for their contributions to the nation’s reform and opening-up in Beijing on Tuesday.

He said he will follow his late grandfather, and help cultivate more skilled people to help the city integrate into the country’s overall development.

Angus Ng Hok-ming, executive president of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Youth Association, believes Hong Kong, especially its youth, will have more opportunities as the country unleashes the potentials of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Bay Area blueprint.

“I hope Hong Kong young people can put aside any bias, and at least attempt to know more about the latest development of the nation, as well as the nation’s measures to benefit Hong Kong residents,” Ng said.

Under ‘one country, two systems’, the SAR could continue addressing new challenges arising from the country’s institutional development.’’ Witman Hung Wai-man, principal liaison officer of Shenzhen Qianhai special economic zone’s HK office