Beijing official's HK tour highlights cooperation

Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, concluded his six-day inspection tour in Hong Kong after making extensive exchanges with local officials and community representatives, ordinary people and the city's young minds.

In response to Xia's inspection, which reflects the central government's care and confidence in Hong Kong's development, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said he will continue to lead the special administrative region government to unite the community and hold the patriots together to build the city toward stability and prosperity.

On Tuesday, the central government official went to the University of Hong Kong and visited the library on campus. He then inspected the Faculty of Engineering's Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing, an open platform for students and researchers to foster interdisciplinary innovations in engineering and science.

Xia also had lunch with HKU President and Vice-Chancellor Zhang Xiang and listened to him introduce the university's development blueprint.

In the afternoon, Xia went to the Chinese Foundation Secondary School at Chai Wan, Hong Kong Island. During his visit, he listened to students discuss their studies in subjects such as Chinese history, liberal studies as well as citizenship and social development.

After that, Xia visited the Ma Tau Chung Government Primary School in Hung Hom, Kowloon. He inspected the school's exhibition boards on national security education, watched students perform on the Chinese zither and play table tennis, and listened to the students' speeches on the country's development, which was the last event before he went to Hong Kong International Airport to fly back to Beijing.

Choi Hel-shing, a janitor at Ma Tau Chung Government Primary School, said he was impressed by Xia's cordial interaction with a teacher at the school.

Choi said it is the necessary and right decision to strengthen patriotism education and the understanding of "one country, two systems" at schools in Hong Kong, in particular to have Hong Kong students learn more about Chinese traditions and culture, so as to better understand our country.

Hung Yee-ning, a freshman majoring in journalism at HKU, said much attention has been given to Xia's visit to Hong Kong, in particular his visit to the university.

"It's expected that Xia's coming to HKU will strengthen the ties between mainland universities and the universities in Hong Kong," Hung said.

Lee, who briefed media outlets on Tuesday afternoon after Xia had visited the primary school, said the central government official, on several occasions during the visit, expressed his confidence in the city's long-term prosperity and approval of the SAR government's work.

Xia also said he was confident that the SAR government and every sector of the Hong Kong community can work together to develop the economy, uphold the rule of law and safeguard national security, while maintaining the city's status as a favored place for global investors to pursue opportunities and seek their fortune.

Xia's message was clear: Hong Kong is still facing hidden risks, and many activities could be held hostage to create chaos even though society has mostly returned to stability, Lee said. The government will concentrate on areas including firmly safeguarding national security to cherish the hard-earned situation, Lee added.

Lee also expressed his resolve to build a Hong Kong that makes everyone proud by breaking the bottleneck of land shortage, improving Hong Kong residents' living and working conditions, and providing more opportunities for young people.

Xia kicked off his six-day inspection in Hong Kong on Thursday. In the following days, he met a wide range of officials, politicians, members of the judiciary and the representatives from various sectors.

He also visited district medical and elderly care facilities, the Science Park and local universities and schools, and presented flowers at the Cenotaph in the Wu Kau Tang Martyrs Memorial Garden, a memorial to honor a local guerrilla force active in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).