Central govt officials' outreach activities receive warm welcome

HONG KONG - Central government officials' recent outreach activities to interact and engage with local residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have received positive feedback as the locals get a sympathetic response to stories of their economic woes and the support they seek.

Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR, made several such visits to residents on Thursday, and talked to people from different grassroots backgrounds, including fishermen at the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter, plus storekeepers and tenants of subdivided apartments.

Cheung Siu-keung, chairman of the Hong Kong Fishermen Consortium, said that with the support of national policies, many fishermen like him have found new opportunities in the mainland. He hoped that Hong Kong's further integrating itself with the nation's ocean economy will help revive and transform Hong Kong's fishing industry.

Luo said he enjoyed listening to the fishermen share their life stories. The central government has introduced a series of supportive measures for different Hong Kong industries, with the goal to help improve the living standards of city residents, he added.

Luo also met with young entrepreneurs in Cyberport, a business park with a cluster of technology companies. He encouraged Hong Kong to leverage its advantage to nurture and attract high-end professionals and take full advantage of the city's unique position in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to build itself into an international hub for innovation.

Peter Yan King-shun, CEO of Hong Kong Cyberport Management, said that Luo's visit not only reflects the high priority the central government has given to the innovation and technology industry, but also helps enhance public understanding of the dynamic entrepreneurial spirit of Hong Kong young people.

Kwok Yin-lai, chairwoman of Community Medical and Education Services Association (HK), expressed appreciation for Luo's visit at a free clinic sponsored by Shanghai Industrial Investment, which is part of an initiative by mainland-invested companies to provide free day-to-day services to community members in need. Kwok said Luo's presence at the clinic sent a message to the society, especially to young people, that society should care for and respect older adults.

Chen Dong, deputy director of the Liaison Office, also had extensive dialogue with people from different walks of life in the past weekend. He visited Tai Po District Junior Police Call Activity Centre in the New Territories on Saturday. He talked to the members and called on them to follow the example of Hong Kong Police to serve the city.

Affiliated with the Hong Kong Police Force, the center is a major youth organization in Hong Kong with a membership of more than 190,000.

The young participants shared their expectations about increasing exchange opportunities to the Chinese mainland. Among their suggestions, they mentioned internship opportunities, visits to mainland government agencies, exchanges with young people and Olympic athletes from the mainland, and programs for Hong Kong youth to learn more about the country's history, latest development and achievements.

Luo Yonggang, another deputy director of the Liaison Office, met with the business community in Kowloon on Saturday. He asked about the challenges facing business owners, listened to their suggestions, and explained to them in detail policy measures introduced by the central government that may help them find new opportunities.

A practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine told Deputy Director Luo that the profession faces many regulatory and accreditation hurdles, and expressed his hope that the government could cut some of the red tape and make the profession a more attractive and viable career option, especially for young people.

Officials from the Hong Kong SAR government also stepped up engagement activities with local residents. Principal officials, including Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po and Home Affairs Secretary Caspar Tsui Ying-wai, met with grassroots families on Friday to know about the difficulties they encounter in their daily lives. They vowed to make more efforts to improve people's livelihoods, such as by increasing the housing supply.

shumanchen@chinadailyhk.com