HK CPPCC members: patriotism should be reinforced and expanded

For Hong Kong's prosperity and stability in the long-run, Hong Kong members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference said it is necessary to reinforce and expand patriotism.

Member of the CPPCC from Hong Kong Samuel Yung Wing-ki said the patriotic force loving both the country and the city needs to be strengthened.

To achieve this, he encouraged the city's CPPCC members to engage people from various backgrounds, especially young people, to brief them about the nation's latest development and opportunities in prominent national strategies.

This will buttress their national identity as well as their recognition of the country, he said.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the CPPCC, the advisory body to the Chinese government and a major player in the Chinese social and political system.

Many of the city's CPPCC members have joined local groups, the founding President of Hong Kong Professionals and Senior Executives Association said, adding that they can lobby groups to hold more activities to increase local people's understanding of China.

Besides lectures, the associations could invite government officials to explain policies relating to the Chinese mainland or organize delegations to visit mainland cities, he said.

It is also important for CPPCC members of the special administrative region (SAR) to support the law-based governance of the SAR government, which Yung said is a basic requirement.

One of the advisory body's main tasks is to offer suggestions to the government, in both the promulgation and implementation of policies, Yung said.

To provide quality suggestions, Yung advised members of the advisory body to maintain a close connection with the public. This could help them better identify and investigate the deep-rooted problems in society, he said.

Echoing Yung, Jackey Tse, a Hong Kong member of the Youth Federation of Jilin province, told China Daily that supporting the law-based governance of the SAR government is a must for Hong Kong to end the current turmoil, which has gripped the city for more than three months.

"To help society back on track soon, we must support the SAR government's administration and the police's law enforcement actions to bring law-breakers to justice," said Tse, who is also a member of the Jilin provincial committee of the CPPCC.

There are various ways to throw weight behind the government's administration, Tse said. Young people could take the initiative to clarify rumors targeting the government among their peers, Tse said.

In Tse's eyes, there is a need to strengthen the ranks of patriots among Hong Kong society, as it is a key way to guarantee the city's stability.

Tse encouraged CPPCC members to put more efforts into connecting with the city's young people, introducing them to the opportunities across the boundary, as well as the policies benefiting Hong Kong people's lives on the mainland.

He also appealed to Hong Kong's young people to put aside prejudice and embrace the development opportunities on the mainland in a more open and active manner.

Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies – a Hong Kong and Macao affairs think tank – said Hong Kong's recent social unrest reveals the patriotism needs to be increased across society.

Facing the China-US trade tension and foreign forces' constant intervention in Hong Kong internal affairs, Lau said now it is more urgent than ever to expand the force of people who love the nation and Hong Kong.

Hong Kong members of the CPPCC should play greater roles in the city's political arena and serve as the bridge between the mainland and the city, Lau said.

Lau added that committee members should do more policy research targeting the deep-seated social issues in Hong Kong to relieve the city's internal rift and tensions, which many believe are the cause of the protracted social unrest recently.