Priscilla Leung says lawmakers must continue to uphold the people-centered governance philosophy emphasized throughout the study program

The recent seven-day study tour of members of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Legislative Council in Beijing has helped participants to have a clearer understanding of national governance, the holistic approach to national security, law-based governance, five-year planning, the executive-led system, and urban governance, which is certainly beneficial to enhancing Hong Kong legislators’ capacity to perform their duties.

At a time when the country is advancing the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) and the HKSAR government is formulating Hong Kong’s first-ever five-year development plan, the Legislative Council (LegCo) must continue to enhance its capacity for governance and policy participation. Under the executive-led system, legislators should actively provide constructive advice, contribute forward-looking ideas, and work with the executive branch to formulate a development blueprint that combines strategic vision, reform momentum and a strong commitment to improving people’s livelihoods.

By doing so, Hong Kong can better integrate into and serve the country’s overall development, thus making greater contributions to the advancement of Chinese modernization.

The study tour was not merely an opportunity for knowledge enhancement; it was also an important exercise in strengthening understanding of governance philosophy. It offered valuable insights into how the HKSAR can improve its governance capacity under the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong”.

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The executive-led system is a defining feature of the HKSAR’s constitutional framework. Under this system, the legislature should play a constructive role, serving a check-and-balance role while assisting the executive branch in implementing policies on addressing livelihood challenges, advancing reforms, and ensuring that development benefits reach the wider community.

The study program highlighted that legislators must uphold discipline, prioritize the public interest, and maintain high ethical standards. These requirements are not merely expectations for individual legislators; they represent higher standards for the overall performance and credibility of the legislature.

Only through stronger discipline, greater mutual trust and enhanced efficiency can LegCo fully realize the institutional advantages of constructive interaction between the executive and legislature, providing stronger support for Hong Kong’s high-quality development.

The advantages of the executive-led system were also reflected in the dialogue session between Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and legislators after their Beijing study visit, at which the chief executive and legislators exchanged views on Hong Kong’s development direction, governance philosophy and responsibilities of public service in a candid and friendly atmosphere. This demonstrated the shared commitment of the executive and legislature to working together for Hong Kong’s future.

An executive-led system does not mean unilateral decision-making by the administration. Instead, it means that under the leadership of the chief executive, the executive and legislative branches perform their respective roles while cooperating with each other in pursuit of Hong Kong’s overall interests.

Through early communication with the administration during the policy formulation process, legislators can better understand policy objectives and development needs, allowing them to provide more targeted and constructive suggestions. At the same time, LegCo continues to exercise its role to monitor policy implementation to ensure they are implemented effectively. This positive interaction is a key source of Hong Kong’s governance effectiveness under the executive-led system.

The Beijing study tour also provided important lessons in implementing the holistic approach to national security and enhancing risk governance capabilities. The courses went beyond theoretical discussion and examined practical cases, highlighting the importance of systematic thinking, risk assessment and preventive governance. The principle of addressing risks before they escalate reflects a modern governance approach that emphasizes preparedness and long-term stability.

The legislators’ visit to the Exhibition Hall of the Communist Party of China History  helped them to better appreciate the historical journey behind the country’s remarkable development achievements.

History has demonstrated that national security provides the foundation for economic development, while social stability is essential for improving people’s well-being. High-quality development and high-level security are mutually reinforcing and cannot be separated.

As part of the country, the HKSAR must fully and accurately implement the “one country, two systems” principle, uphold governance according to law, improve systems and mechanisms safeguarding national security, and ensure that a high level of security supports high-quality development.

The visit to the Beijing “12345” citizen service hotline center was another valuable experience. The hotline reflects the governance philosophy of putting people’s interests and well-being first and demonstrates how whole-process people’s democracy can be incorporated into daily government administration.

Its success illustrates that the ultimate measure of governance reform is whether people genuinely benefit from it. This experience provides meaningful reference for Hong Kong in improving public services and enhancing administrative efficiency.

Experts who lectured at the study program provided thorough explanations of the background, objectives and achievements of the nation’s five-year plans, tracing the country’s development journey in improving the livelihoods of billions of Chinese people from the first Five-Year Plan (1953-57) to the 15th Five-Year Plan and explaining the huge difficulty the nation has encountered in promoting national rejuvenation.

Each Five-Year Plan has responded to the needs of a different development stage by improving institutions, optimizing resource allocation and promoting strategic development. These experiences demonstrate the advantages of long-term planning and the ability to mobilize resources for major national goals. These lessons carry significant implications for the HKSAR.

Hong Kong is now entering a crucial era as it prepares its first five-year development plan. This plan should not simply be a collection of short-term policies. Instead, it should be a forward-looking blueprint with a five-year vision that is aligned with national development strategies, particularly those in the 15th Five-Year Plan.

Such planning will enable Hong Kong to better integrate into and serve the country’s development while allowing residents to clearly understand the city’s future direction and share in the benefits of reform and growth.

The 15th Five-Year Plan also presents Hong Kong with important strategic opportunities, including deeper participation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development, strengthening its role as an international financial and legal services center, as well as in promoting high-level opening-up, and accelerating innovation and technology development.

Hong Kong must seize this strategic opportunity with a more-proactive approach, contributing to national high-quality development while cultivating new economic growth engines for itself.

As chairperson of the Bills Committee on the Northern Metropolis Development Bill, I was particularly inspired by the study program’s discussions on special zones, institutional innovation and legal frameworks supporting development.

From special economic zones and the Pudong New Area to the Hainan Free Trade Port, the country has established targeted legal and institutional arrangements in response to different stages of development. These examples demonstrate how the rule of law can safeguard reform, and indicate that legal reform and institutional innovation is the basis to promote economic growth.

Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis development requires a similar spirit of innovation.

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The Northern Metropolis is not merely a project to increase land supply or build housing. It carries a broader mission: transforming Hong Kong’s economic structure, developing new quality productive forces, promoting innovation and technology, and strengthening integration with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The main legislation for the Northern Metropolis should provide a clear legal framework for development, while subsidiary legislation should improve implementation details. The objective should be to maintain the rule of law while enhancing efficiency and flexibility, creating a more competitive institutional environment to facilitate fast development in a new-tech era.

Ultimately, institutional innovation must serve the improvement of people’s quality of life. The development of the Northern Metropolis must include comprehensive community facilities and create a new metropolis that is suitable for living, working and innovation. Residents, workers and entrepreneurs should all be able to share the benefits of development and experience greater satisfaction and a stronger sense of achievement.

Hong Kong legislators must continue to uphold the people-centered governance philosophy emphasized throughout the study program. Through ongoing inspections, engagement with society and consideration of Hong Kong’s future aspirations, LegCo can contribute to building a new institutional framework, addressing long-standing economic and social challenges, and opening a new chapter for Hong Kong’s development.

The author is a Hong Kong deputy to the National People’s Congress, a member of the Hong Kong Basic Law Committee, and a Legislative Council member.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.