Xia concludes Macau tour, urges business patriotism

Beijing’s top man overseeing Hong Kong and Macau affairs Xia Baolong concluded his six-day inspection tour in Macau on Tuesday.

Xia, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, left Macau through the Border Gate checkpoint at around 1pm.

During his stay, Xia engaged with representatives from various sectors, including a meeting with business leaders from Hong Kong and Macau on Monday, where he outlined four key expectations for the commercial community in the two SARs.

He urged them to uphold a "spirit of perseverance”,  strengthen patriotic solidarity, maintain confidence in development and leverage Hong Kong’s and Macau’s unique advantages to promote the country on the global stage.

Xia’s itinerary also included visits to cultural and tourism sites, assessments of land reclamation management and urban planning, and inspections of the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Co-operation Zone in Hengqin and the Qingmao Port.

In a Facebook post, Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki said Xia emphasized to business leaders that "only by integrating corporate growth into the nation’s broader development can enterprises navigate the tides of the times”.

Chan described the remarks as a clear directive for future progress for Hong Kong and Macau and urged the local business community to leverage Hong Kong’s international financial and trade hub status to support national strategies.

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok, echoing Xia’s message, said that safeguarding national interests will not undermine commercial freedom but ensure a stable business environment aligned with national security and development goals. 

He emphasized that Hong Kong’s legal framework under one country, two systems provides an internationally competitive, rule-of-law-based business climate that should be confidently promoted.

Lam also noted Xia’s advice to maintain ties with traditional markets while expanding into emerging economies, stressing the need to project Hong Kong as an open, inclusive, and diverse society to attract global partners.

(Ayra Wang)