HKSAR gov't welcomes 14th Five-Year Plan, vows to further integrate into national development

HONG KONG -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Thursday welcomed the contents relating to Hong Kong in the 14th Five-Year Plan and expressed gratitude for the central government's support for the future development of Hong Kong in various key areas.

The fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) adopted the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035 in Beijing on Thursday.

"The 14th Five-Year Plan is the blueprint and action agenda for the social and economic development of the country in the next five years," said HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

"Hong Kong has faced unprecedented challenges over the past two years. It has become very clear that only by firmly upholding the 'one country, two systems' principle and safeguarding national security can society and the economy of the HKSAR progress and develop steadily," Lam said.

She said she fully agrees to the fundamental principles of fully and faithfully implementing the "one country, two systems"; upholding the constitutional order as enshrined in the Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR; upholding the central authorities' overall jurisdiction over the Special Administrative Regions; implementing the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the SARs to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests of the nation and the social stability of the SARs; and resolutely preventing and curbing interference by external forces in the affairs of Hong Kong.

On economic development, the 14th Five-Year Plan continues to support Hong Kong to enhance its status as an international financial, transportation and trade centre; strengthen its status as a global offshore Renminbi business hub, an international asset management center and a risk management center; establish itself as a center for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region; and promote service industries for high-end and high value-added development, said a spokesman of the HKSAR government, adding that the plan also includes other supportive statements on Hong Kong.

On high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the 14th Five-Year Plan mentions the deepening and widening of mutual access between the financial markets of Hong Kong and the mainland and strengthening exchanges and cooperation between Hong Kong and the mainland on different fronts, and, for the first time, includes the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Loop as a major platform of cooperation in the greater bay area, said the spokesman.

On social development, the 14th Five-Year Plan points out improving policy measures to enable Hong Kong and Macao residents to develop and live in the mainland, strengthening education on the Constitution and the Basic Law and national development, and enhancing national awareness and patriotism among Hong Kong and Macao residents, the spokesman said.

For her part, Lam said Hong Kong will proactively become a participant in domestic circulation and a facilitator in international circulation amidst the "dual circulation" development strategy of the country.

Hong Kong will take the greater bay area development as the best entry point to better integrate into the overall development of the country, which will bring continuous impetus to Hong Kong's economy, she added.