By Tu Haiming

As the director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the central government’s top official for Hong Kong affairs, Xia Baolong, certainly cares about the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s move to enhance its system for safeguarding national security. But it would be too narrow-minded to conclude, as some people have suggested, that this time he has come to Hong Kong specifically for the proposed Article 23 legislation. Rather, his ongoing inspection tour of Hong Kong should be viewed from a strategic perspective: He is in town to explore ways to help promote Hong Kong’s socioeconomic development, as revealed by his activities over the past several days.

Hong Kong’s socioeconomic development, which is underpinned by “one country, two systems”, a political innovation, has run into some new situations and hurdles that will take the joint effort of the local community and the staunch support of the central authorities to overcome. Xia is here to listen to voices from all quarters to better understand the needs of Hong Kong, and to collaborate with the SAR government to formulate supporting strategies.

While the sluggish Hong Kong stock market is taken as the result of a lack of investor confidence in Hong Kong’s economic prospects, there are underlying causes. Having helped Hong Kong tide over the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and global financial crisis in 2009, the central government will provide Hong Kong strong backing again this time for sure, and Xia’s in-depth exchanges with various sectors of the SAR will be of great help to the central authorities in working out effective measures to help the city weather various challenges.

Although Hong Kong has returned to normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic receded, the city’s economic recovery has fallen short of expectations. This can be largely attributed to an unfavorable external environment, including a stagnant global economy and geopolitical tensions, as well as a series of smear campaigns launched by the US-led West against Hong Kong’s business environment. The help of the central government will be a stitch in time.

Beijing has been helping Hong Kong capitalize on its strengths and better integrate into national development to maintain its long-term prosperity and stability. Xia came for his inspection tour immediately after the Lunar New Year holiday and met with SAR government officials upon his arrival. This not only reflects the central government’s recognition of the work of the SAR government but also indicates that the central government attaches importance to the role of the chief executive and his leading team as the head of the “Hong Kong big family”, as well as the central government’s aspiration for further enhancement in the city’s executive-led governance. In his meetings with SAR government officials, Xia reiterated the central government’s expectation that the SAR government continue with its proactive approach in governance.

As with his previous inspection tour of Hong Kong in April last year, Xia has attached great importance to the roles of the chief executive and the SAR government this time. Last time, of the 36 activities that Xia took part in, 31 were organized by the SAR administration, with Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu in full attendance all along. That the central government has let the SAR government arrange Xia’s whole itinerary this time is indicative of its trust in the current SAR administration.

Xia’s inspection tour covers all aspects of Hong Kong’s development, and the outcome of his visit will be instrumental in formulating more targeted, comprehensive national policies for energizing Hong Kong’s development

Building a great modern country and advancing national rejuvenation via Chinese-style modernization is a major undertaking that requires the concerted efforts of all Chinese people, and Hong Kong has a unique role to play in achieving this feat. The city should not only give full play to its role as a “superconnector” between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world but also serve as a “bridgehead” for the country’s high-level opening-up, which will be instrumental in bringing about high-quality development benefiting both the country and the city.

The SAR government is principally responsible for fulfilling those functions. After completing the proposed Article 23 legislation, the last part of the city’s national security net, the SAR government is expected to concentrate on efforts for advancing high-quality development.

While acknowledging the achievements of the SAR government, Xia also expressed high hopes for its future work. His remarks so far indicate his approval of the situation of the SAR’s executive-led governance.

The Basic Law has prescribed an executive-led system for Hong Kong, under which the chief executive shall be accountable to the central government on behalf of the HKSAR. But the executive-led system had failed to materialize for a long time after the 1997 handover. As a result, the SAR government’s ability to govern had been curbed; socioeconomic problems and conflicts piled up, which were exploited by political fanatics to attack the SAR government and discredit the “one country, two systems” principle, leading to a vicious circle that ultimately triggered off social instability.

The central government has done Hong Kong a great favor by facilitating an overhaul of the SAR’s electoral system, which has put the precept of “patriots administering Hong Kong” into practice, and facilitated the full implementation of executive-led governance in the city. As a result, social confrontation has been brought to an end, the city’s political landscape has changed for the better, and since the SAR government and its officials are relieved of political hindrances, they are now doing their best to advance economic development to improve people’s livelihoods and well-being. This bodes well for social harmony and effective policymaking. As executive-led governance is conducive to Hong Kong’s development, prosperity and stability, it should be upheld for years if not decades to come.

Xia’s exchanges with SAR government officials reveal the emphasis he places on executive-led governance, as well as the accurate and faithful implementation of the core principles of the Basic Law.

Xia’s inspection tour covers all aspects of Hong Kong’s development, and the outcome of his visit will be instrumental in formulating more targeted, comprehensive national policies for energizing Hong Kong’s development.

The author is vice-chairman of the Committee on Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and chairman of the Hong Kong New Era Development Thinktank.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of Bauhinia Magazine.

Source: China Daily