In this file photo dated Oct 1, 2022, a Hong Kong resident takes a photo of the display of the national and HKSAR flags. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong’s officials and various sectors said the new office under the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, which is tasked with overseeing Hong Kong and Macao affairs, is a testament to the increased importance of the city to the nation, and will see affairs related to the city being handled in a more efficient, enhanced and quicker manner.

On Thursday, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council released a plan for reforming Party and State institutions. As a part of the institutional reorganization, a new Hong Kong and Macao work office of the CPC Central Committee will be formed on the basis of the existing Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council. 

The new office, functioning as a working body of the CPC Central Committee, is tasked with coordination and supervision of upholding the "one country, two systems" principle, exercising the central authorities' overall jurisdiction, as well as safeguarding national security and supporting Hong Kong's integration into the national development.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said a plan for reforming Party and State institutions fully demonstrates the central authorities' resolve to fully and faithfully implement the "one country, two systems" principle. He will lead the Hong Kong SAR to maintain effective communication with the new Hong Kong and Macao work office, enabling the central government to comprehensively understand and grasp the actual situation in Hong Kong

According to the plan, the reform aims at building a functional system of Party and State institutions that is well-developed, procedure-based and efficient, which carries far-reaching significance.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Thursday referred to President Xi Jinping’s remarks in his report to the 20th CPC National Congress, that "one country, two systems" has been the best institutional arrangement for ensuring sustained prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao since their return to the motherland, and must be adhered to over the long term.

Lee said the reform plan fully demonstrates the central authorities' resolve to fully and faithfully implement the "one country, two systems" principle. He will lead the Hong Kong SAR to maintain effective communication with the new Hong Kong and Macao work office, enabling the central government to comprehensively understand and grasp the actual situation in Hong Kong.

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Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok said that the institutional reform will facilitate the accurate and steady implementation of "one country, two systems". The move is also an organic combination of the central government's overall jurisdiction and the HKSAR's high degree of autonomy, Lam added.

In a statement issued on Friday, President of LegCo Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen said the legislature will maintain close communication with the new Hong Kong and Macao work office to fully reflect the voices of all sectors of the community, ensuring that the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" can meet the expectations of Hong Kong people.

Lau Siu-kai, a consultant of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said under the turbulent international situation and given Hong Kong’s internal difficulties, the long-term stability and development of Hong Kong hinge on the city’s effective governance and prosperity and  cannot be attained without the support and guidance of the central government.

Nixie Lam Lam, a young Hong Kong legislator and member of Hong Kong’s largest political group, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said the institutional reform in regard of the works of Hong Kong and Macao could further improve the top-level institutional design of the "one country, two systems" principle

In the eyes of the seasoned political scientist, the reform, which will strengthen the CPC’s attention and leadership on Hong Kong affairs and the devotion of bountiful resources to Hong Kong by the whole country, will be conducive to maintaining and promoting the prosperity, stability and development of Hong Kong.

Stanley Ng Chau-pei, a Hong Kong lawmaker and the leader of the city's largest labor group – the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions – said the central government has a fundamental responsibility for Hong Kong and Macao affairs, hence the setup of the new office under CPC Central Committee will help deal with the work of Hong Kong and Macao in a more efficient, concise and direct manner. 

Taking the example of the helping hand lent by the central government to Hong Kong during the pandemic, Ng said the new office will respond quicker in the event of a crisis, providing the strongest safeguard for the steady and sustained implementation of “one country, two systems”.

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Nixie Lam Lam, a young Hong Kong legislator and member of Hong Kong’s largest political group, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said the institutional reform in regard of the works of Hong Kong and Macao could further improve the top-level institutional design of the "one country, two systems" principle, and meet the two SARs’ need to fully integrate into the overall development of the country.

Many political parties and business groups have chipped in by pledging support for the reform, including DAB, FTU and the Liberal Party. They agree that it indicates that the weight of Hong Kong and Macao affairs to the country is moving up. They have vowed to unite various sectors to help Hong Kong SAR maintain prosperity and stability and better safeguard national security.