HONG KONG - Hong Kong will discover a new round of major development opportunities as it integrates into the nation’s development, the central government’s top liaison official in the city said.

The integration strategy gave the city a clear direction and expanded its development capacity

Wang Zhimin, Director, Liaison Office of the Central People's Government, HKSAR

Wang Zhimin, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said in an interview with local Chinese-language newspaper Ta Kung Pao that the integration strategy gave the city a clear direction and expanded its development capacity.

Following up on Premier Li Keqiang’s vow to fully support integration of Hong Kong and Macao into national development, made while delivering the Government Work Report at the National People’s Congress meeting in Beijing on Monday, Wang said that as cross-boundary connectivity improved Hong Kong can integrate more deeply into the nation’s development and cooperate closely with the mainland.

“Following the completion of a series of cross-boundary infrastructure projects connecting the mainland, including the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and the Liantang-Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point, I see a new round of major developmental opportunities for Hong Kong,” Wang said.

He also said Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of the central government, is very much concerned about the fundamental interests of Hong Kong and reaches out to Hong Kong people directly.

Echoing Wang’s remarks, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said the SAR government will redouble its efforts to integrate with the nation’s development. She made the pledge on Tuesday upon her return from Beijing, where she attended the opening meeting of the first session of the 13th National People’s Congress, the meeting to which Li delivered the report.

There are two key points in the Government Work Report: implementation of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area development plan and the central government’s support of the integration of Hong Kong into the nation’s development, Lam said.

In Beijing, Lam met with both Party Secretary of Guangdong province Li Xi and Guangdong Governor Ma Xingrui. The three will be preparing promotional work when the Greater Bay Area plan is formally approved, Lam said.

carrieqiu@chinadailyhk.com