Hong Kong can develop further with deeper integration, liaison office chief says

Hong Kong can develop further with deeper integration, liaison office chief says Chief Executive John Lee says government pressing ahead with first five-year development plan ‘at full speed’ to align with national blueprint Beijing’s top representative in Hong Kong has expressed confidence in the city’s ability to achieve greater development by further integrating into the country, while the chief executive has said authorities are moving “at full speed” to draw up the first five-year plan to align with the national blueprint. Speaking at a cultural gala marking the 29th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese sovereignty on Tuesday evening, liaison office director Zhou Ji said he believed Hong Kong, with “the full care and support of the central government”, would be able to “seize strategic opportunities, better coordinate development and security, innovate and seek change, boost the economy, pursue development, promote reform and improve people’s livelihoods”. He also expressed confidence Hong Kong would successfully formulate its first five-year plan and further serve the overall development of the country. Zhou said Hong Kong had overcome successive challenges since its return to Chinese rule, including the Asian financial crisis, the global financial crisis, Sars, the Covid-19 pandemic and social unrest. Hong Kong had become “one of the safest cities in the world” under the national security law, he added. “The motherland regards Hong Kong as a pearl in its palm, and President Xi Jinping has always cared deeply about Hong Kong and kept it close to his heart,” Zhou said. He also mentioned the city’s first astronaut, payload specialist Lai Ka-ying, who is currently aboard the Shenzhou-23 mission. “The pace of Hong Kong’s integration into the overall development of the country is accelerating. The city is deeply engaged in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, working hand in hand with Guangdong and Macau to successfully host the 15th National Games,” he said.