Delegates vow to act as economic contributors

Jamie Liu

Hong Kong delegates to the National People's Congress met with Beijing's top man on the city's affairs, Xia Baolong, yesterday afternoon.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Starry Lee Wai-king, the city's sole delegate to NPC Standing Committee, said Xia, director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, expressed appreciation for efforts of the SAR government and the NPC deputies in supporting Hong Kong's economy, while highlighting the stock market's good performance.

She said Hong Kong deputies will take a more proactive role in the city's development. Lee added: "In the future, we as NPC members will act as a contributor to the economic development and the improvement of the livelihoods of people - and not merely comment on policies."

In a statement last night, the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said Xia welcomed Hong Kong and Macau NPC delegates and expressed his hopes that they will fulfill their duties with a strong sense of responsibility and mission.

"[Xia] encouraged the delegates to actively reflect public opinion, offer suggestions as well as fully and accurately implement one country, two systems," the statement read.

He also hoped delegates can fully support the SAR governments in governing in accordance with the law, accelerate Hong Kong's transition from stability to prosperity and support the national development and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Election Committee sector lawmaker Ma Fung-kwok brushed off talk that Xia touched on the latest US tariffs imposed on China or that he gave instructions to the city on facing geopolitical challenges.

"I think Beijing is very confident that Hong Kong can overcome any challenges ahead," he added.

Movie star and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference member Donnie Yen Chi-tan called on Hong Kong filmmakers to engage in more exchanges with their mainland counterparts and make use of the enormous mainland market.

Yen admitted there are fewer local films but he noted that some of them performed well. "I feel encouraged [by these films that performed well]," he said.

"Every industry will encounter a bottleneck. The local film industry can engage in more exchanges with their mainland counterparts and learn from each other ... and fight for a bigger market share in the mainland."

Fellow CPPCC member Peter Wong Tung-shun, the recently appointed chairman of the University of Hong Kong's governing council, said he has been maintaining good communication with university president Zhang Xiang, adding that both of them have a lot of plans for the future.

Another CPPCC member, Sun Hung Kai Properties executive director Adam Kwok Kai-fai, said his proposal will touch on the financial markets, including mutual market access and IPO mechanisms.

CPPCC deputy Francis Lui Yiu-tung, chairman of Galaxy Entertainment, expressed his strong confidence in the leisure industry, saying that collaborations between Hong Kong and Macau will create a win-win situation.