The nation’s top official overseeing Hong Kong and Macao affairs on Wednesday expressed his confidence that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will formulate its first internal five-year plan properly based on the city’s actual situation to better reap national growth momentum.

Xia Baolong, 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 — while meeting Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu at his office in Beijing — also said he hopes the special administrative region will actively align with the national 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) by leveraging its unique advantages, and realize better development by serving the overall national development.

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Having landed in Beijing on Tuesday, Lee will attend the opening meeting of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress, the nation’s top legislature, on Thursday morning.

Xia said Lee has led the HKSAR governance team in resolutely implementing the decisions and arrangements of the central government, steadfastly safeguarding national security and promoting high-quality development. These works have achieved remarkable results, Xia said.

In February, Lee announced that the city will formulate its own five-year development blueprint to align with the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan.

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Xia said he believes that the HKSAR can formulate its first five-year plan based on actual conditions, uphold and improve the executive-led system, continuously enhance the effectiveness of governance according to law, and fully leverage Hong Kong's unique advantages and vital role in connecting the domestic and global markets.

Hong Kong should consolidate and elevate its status as an international financial, shipping, and trade center, accelerate the development of an international innovation and technology hub, and become an international hub for high-calibre talents, he added.

Following the meeting, Lee took to social media to thank Xia for his care and recognition of the SAR’s work. He said the HKSAR will seize the opportunities brought by the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan, and vowed to lead the Hong Kong government in proactively integrating into and serving the country's development, contributing to the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative.

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Lee said the SAR will continue telling good stories of the country and Hong Kong, striving for better development of Hong Kong, and contributing to Chinese modernization and to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Lee continued his visit in Beijing in the afternoon. During a meeting with Tsinghua University Party Secretary Qiu Yong, Lee introduced the SAR’s efforts to accelerate the development of the Northern Metropolis, the city’s ambitious urban transformation project that includes a university town to provide land for universities.

Lee invited Tsinghua University to bring its advanced disciplines and academic programs to the proposed university town to inspire collaborative development.

Lee also attended an afternoon seminar for Hong Kong students studying in Beijing, an event organized by the Hong Kong Alumni Association of Beijing Universities. Lee encouraged the young attendees to leverage their strengths and tell the good stories of Hong Kong, as well as to contribute to building a great country and achieving national rejuvenation.

During the dinner with heads of a number of higher education institutions in Beijing, which are all eligible universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme, Lee expressed his hope of seeing more mainland students and exchange students pursuing studies in Hong Kong.

Expectation on Macao

In a separate meeting on Wednesday, Xia met Macao Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai, noting that Sam and his team has firmly safeguarded national security, advanced public administration reforms, and actively participated in the development of the Greater Bay Area.

Xia said he believes the Macao SAR and all sectors of Macao society will seize the new opportunities brought by the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan, and advance the formulation of its own Third Five-Year Plan for Social and Economic Development (2026-2030), uphold and improve the executive-led approach, and continuously enhance the effectiveness of governance according to law.

Macao should actively promote its appropriate economic diversification strategy, especially the construction of Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, and continuously highlight its roles as "one center, one platform and one base", Xia stressed.

Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com