“Hong Kong’s advancement is an integral part of China’s national development, with Beijing reaffirming the importance of One Country, Two Systems,” said Anthony Wu, former Chamber Chairman and Member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, at a seminar held to explain the policy report announced at the CCP’s 20th National Congress.
Wu was joined by Jeffrey Lam, Chamber’s LegCo Representative, Member of the CPPCC National Committee and Vice Chairman of the Committee for Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese, and Nick Chan, Chairman of the Chamber’s Legal Committee, Hong Kong Deputy to National People’s Congress, and Vice Party Chairman of the Liberal Party.
Titled “The Prospect of the 20th National Congress of China’s Communist Party and China’s Future,” the event was part of the Chamber’s “China’s National Day Celebration Series.”
The speakers highlighted the importance of the National Security Law, which came into effect in Hong Kong in 2020, in relevance to the “One Country, Two Systems“ policy. Hong Kong was rocked by unrest a few years ago, and the National Security Law was enforced to bring peace to the city.
Elaborating on the topic, Lam said: “The stability of Hong Kong is of the utmost importance to the Central Government, with an emphasis on patriots governing the city. Thanks to the measures put in place, Hong Kong has been able to enter a new stage of development.”
Lam said the successful implementation of “One Country, Two Systems” must be adhered to in the long run – the policy gave the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao a high degree of autonomy, with President Xi Jinping supporting the integration of Hong Kong and Macao with China with the aim of the nation’s overall development.
As for Taiwan, Lam said that China would continue to resolutely fight against separatism. “Taiwan is a part of China,” Lam stated. “China would strive for peaceful reunification but would not renounce completely the use of all measures to achieve this.”
The 15-chapter report read by the party leadership at the Congress established President Xi Jinping’s core position on the CPC Central Committee, listed China achievements over the past five years, and laid out the new tasks in the next five years and beyond.
With a whole chapter devoted to invigorating China through science and technological education, innovation, and implementing work force development strategies, Wu said the report underlined China’s dedication to become a socialist market economy with a modernized industrial system.
Commenting on the country’s economic development, Lam pointed to the achievements of the past decade, and said that vital to economic prosperity was the development of the Greater Bay Area – with Hong Kong as an international financial hub, the city serves as a strategic gateway to the region.
Chan said the party’s aim was to transform China into a modern socialist country with Chinese characteristics. Towards this end, the report outlined advancing people’s democracy, law-based governance, pursuing green development, and promoting harmony between humanity and nature. Meanwhile, the focus on the well-being of the people served to highlight a raft of goals, such as more pay for more work, equal opportunity, and preserving traditional Chinese medicine, among others.
In regard to China’s position as the second-largest trading country in the world, Chan said the country is advancing high-level opening-up amid challenges from multiple global crises, which will help create favourable conditions for global economic growth. China also opposes protectionism, the erection of “fences and barriers,” decoupling, disruption of industrial and supply chains, unilateral sanctions, and maximum-pressure tactics.
Chan also underlined the country’s solid progress over the past 10 years. “The economy grew from 54 trillion yuan (US$7.39 trillion) in 2012 to 114 trillion yuan in 2021, while its share of the world economy rose from 11.3% to 18.5%,” he said.