Peter Shiu Ka-fai (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Legislative Council member Peter Shiu Ka-fai, who represents the wholesale and retail sector, said his working highlights in the seventh-term LegCo will focus on Hong Kong’s integration into the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. 

“I will play my role in linking the government with Hong Kong’s young talent, businessmen and other workers, and help them catch opportunities in the Greater Bay Area,” the newly elected lawmaker said in an interview with China Daily. “The government can consider setting up organizations in other cities in the region to aid Hong Kong residents.” 

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Another issue he will put his efforts into achieving is the multiple-delayed resumption of normal travel between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.

Shiu expects lawmakers to put more concern into improving people’s livelihoods and economic development, and assisting the government in administration

After a long streak of zero locally transmitted cases, Hong Kong reported its first omicron cluster on Dec 31, only 14 days after chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng yuet-ngor’s announcement of the launch of quarantine-free travel to the mainland.  

The plan has since been shelved as the highly transmissible omicron variant trapped the city in a fifth wave of coronavirus outbreak. It is not the first time that the quarantine-free travel program was suspended. 

Shiu, the vice-chairman of the Liberal Party, said the government should make continuous endeavors to fight against the coronavirus, especially if it involved imported infections. 

Hong Kong’s electoral system was reformed last year, aiming at maintaining law and order by preventing subversives and radicals from taking part in elections. The current legislature is the first term of LegCo operating under the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong”.  

Shiu said he expects lawmakers to put more concern into improving people’s livelihoods and economic development, and assisting the government in administration.  

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The legislator also discussed upcoming challenges for LegCo members. “How to monitor the government’s governance in accordance with the law? How to balance the identity of a defender and a watchdog at the same time? These will be questions for the new parliament,” he said. 

Shiu said he will continue to propose policies which will benefit the retail industry, and monitor how laws will affect retailers’ business. 

Contact the writer at tianyuanzhang@chinadailyhk.com