Xia Baolong, the nation’s top official overseeing Hong Kong and Macao affairs, on Tuesday called on the two regions’ lawmakers and political advisers to grasp the “extraordinary significance” of growth opportunities set out in the country’s new Five-Year Plan.

The remarks were made by Xia, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, during a meeting with representatives from the two SARs who arrived in Beijing to attend the upcoming annual plenaries of the country’s top legislative and political advisory bodies, also known as the national two sessions.

The fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) and the fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) are set to start on Thursday and Wednesday, respectively.

On Tuesday afternoon, Xia welcomed the two cities’ national legislators and national political advisers at his office, and expressed hope that they will diligently fulfil their duties, take the lead in studying and championing the spirit of the forthcoming national two sessions, and support the SAR governments’ law-based governance.

Xia urged them to drive the two cities’ high-quality growth and help deepen their integration into broader national development, adding that they should inject fresh impetus into development in Hong Kong and Macao, and contribute to the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Following the meeting with Xia, Hong Kong Legislative Council President Starry Lee Wai-king, who is also a member of the NPC Standing Committee, in a social media post described the gathering as “warm in atmosphere, deep in exchange, and fruitful for all involved”.

In a news conference shortly after, Lee said this year’s two sessions are “of high significance”, as NPC deputies will deliberate and approve the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) — a “landmark document” that charts the nation’s course toward greater strength and offers the Hong Kong and Macao SARs a “broader platform” to thrive.

Responding to a media question on how Hong Kong should approach its efforts to integrate with, while also serving, national development, Lee said both mandates carry equal weight.

She said the city is making headway in integration, citing progress made with smoother cross-border travel and logistics between the SAR and its neighboring Chinese mainland cities, which has enabled a growing number of Hong Kong residents to work, and even settle, on the mainland.

Still, Lee added that Hong Kong must now consider how it is able to harness its strengths in the service of the country’s overall strategic objectives.

Ko Wing-man, a Hong Kong member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, said Xia’s speech gave him a deepened understanding of Hong Kong’s “favorable timing, location, and unity of people” to reap great opportunities over the near future.

Ko said the nation’s robust development momentum, Hong Kong’s much-anticipated first five-year plan aimed at better aligning with the national blueprint, and a strong level of social cohesion as well as a shared desire for development, all bode well for the city’s future.

Hong Kong lawmaker Michael Ngai Ming-tak, who is a national political adviser, was also at the event. Ngai said he sees Hong Kong embracing major opportunities ahead and improving as all sectors of it work in unison to serve the country.

He vowed to keep in mind the national interest, fulfil his duties as a national political adviser, and to enter the two sessions with his “best spirit” at the ready to actively weigh in with ideas and bring back insights to Hong Kong.

Contact the writer at wanqing@chinadailyhk.com