The central government will double down its support for Hong Kong’s development which is now protected by the newly enacted national security ordinance, Xia Baolong, the nation’s top official overseeing Hong Kong and Macao affairs, said on Monday.
Xia, who chairs the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office under the State Council, made his remarks via a video link at the opening ceremony of the city’s National Security Education Day celebrations. The festivities are also the first since the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, legislated on Article 23 of the Basic Law, came into effect in March.
Xia said the enactment of the ordinance is “a milestone” of the practice of “one country, two systems” and marks Hong Kong’s optimization on the legal framework of safeguarding national security, which will have a far-reaching impact on the city’s journey from governance to prosperity,
Xia noted that the central government, as Hong Kong’s firmest supporter, will roll out more favored measures for the city to amplify its role of facilitating dual-directional connectivity between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world
He noted that the central government, as Hong Kong’s firmest supporter, will roll out more favored measures for the city to amplify its role of facilitating dual-directional connectivity between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world.
“Support from the motherland will only be strengthened,” Xia said.
The official said that with the shield of the national security ordinance, Hong Kong has a more safe, open and predictable business environment. “Investors from all over the world can come to Hong Kong to do business bravely without concerns,” he said, citing that international events held in Hong Kong recently – drawing businesspeople from around the world– are “votes of confidence in Hong Kong”.
To march from governance to prosperity, Xia suggests Hong Kong, apart from consolidating its long-standing advantages, should cultivate “new quality productive forces” by drawing high-end innovative talents from around the world, develop green finance and digital economy, build a regional intellectual property trading center, and provide high-value-added logistic services.
He also emphasized that Hong Kong should maximize the opportunities presented by the nation’s overall development, especially by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, which will inject more momentum and create more opportunities for Hong Kong.
Xia reiterated that the nation’s development prospects are exceptionally bright, and the country stood as Hong Kong’s strongest support and foundation.
