Vice-Premier Han Zheng, who is a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo and head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Leading Group of the CPC Central Committee, met visiting Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and her team of principal officials of the special administrative region government two weeks ago in Beijing.
In their meeting, Han, on behalf of the central government, gave Lam a set of instructions on the current and future development of Hong Kong. On current affairs, Han said the central government expects the HKSAR to take on the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic as a top priority, implement preventive measures as the new normal, and make an overall plan for economic recovery while containing and preventing the spread of the pandemic in Hong Kong.
On future steps, he advised Lam to make an overall plan with clear emphasis on long-term as well as near-term measures aimed at meeting the most urgent popular demands without losing sight of the development goal moving forward, especially in breaking the bottlenecks holding Hong Kong back. To do so, the SAR must remain committed to integrating its own development into the overall development strategy of the country. It is the best way for Hong Kong to maintain development in the new era.
In executing these instructions given by the central authorities, the chief executive and her team of principal officials need to overcome three undesirable ideas. One is obsession with personal freedom that will get in the way of containing COVID-19. The pandemic is no doubt the greatest public-health crisis of the century, which is why many developed nations resorted to regional, if not nationwide, lockdowns to stop COVID-19 from spreading, in some cases more than once, whereas Hong Kong found itself undecided even on such necessary measures as extensive coronavirus testing in high-risk communities and districts.
Another form of problematic thinking is the lack of resolve to break various capitalist taboos hindering socioeconomic development and the improvement of people’s livelihood. Take for example the abolishment of the practice of employers using the Mandatory Provident Fund contribution to offset severance pay costs, also known as MPF hedging; both the previous and current SAR governments tried to tackle this challenge but failed to find any viable solution. Apparently, the government knows the controversy reflects the age-old class conflicts, obsolete industrial and enterprise structures and political divide in Hong Kong, but it does not have the foresight and courage to go beyond giving employers financial aid in exchange for reduced MPF hedging, which only prolongs the dispute instead of ending it.
Still another misconception is found in the failure to educate all walks of life about Hong Kong’s strengths and shortcomings in relation to integrating its own development into the overall development strategy of the country. The 19th Central Committee of the CPC approved at its fifth plenary session last month proposals on formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) for National Economic and Social Development, as well as the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. Unlike the previous five-year plan, this historic document does not mention “support Hong Kong in strengthening its status as a center of international finance, shipping and trade”.
In her meeting with He Lifeng, director of the National Development and Reform Commission, in Beijing on Nov 5, Lam said she noticed these proposals maintain that the central authorities support the SARs of Hong Kong and Macao in better integrating their own development into the overall development strategy of the country and aiming for new heights in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development, adding that she felt encouraged and motivated by the proposals. She also expressed hope that the central government will continue supporting Hong Kong in solidifying its status as a center of international finance, shipping, trade and aviation, including preferential policies aimed at making the Bay Area an international center of sci-tech innovation and ensuring the free flow of crucial production materials in the Bay Area.
Lam’s wishes are understandable. However, it should be kept in mind that Beijing, when devising policies for Hong Kong, takes into account various external and internal factors relevant to the city in the upcoming five to 15 years. That is why Han instructed Lam to lead the SAR government and Hong Kong society with their eyes fixed on “seizing the new opportunities brought by the country’s new development pattern designed for the new era and fully applying its unique strengths”.
Hong Kong cannot afford to rest on past laurels while the rest of the country, particularly Shenzhen and the Pudong New Area in Shanghai, speeds ahead. Shenzhen has surpassed Hong Kong in economic growth after 40 years of development, while Pudong has been even more impressive after 30 years of dramatic changes. It took Hong Kong more than a century to become what it is today. Now it’s time for the “Pearl of the Orient” to aim for new glories by integrating its own development into the overall development strategy of the country.
The author is a senior research fellow of China Everbright Holdings.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
