National legislators from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Saturday pledged to take concrete action in their respective fields to meet Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang’s call for Hong Kong to uphold its executive-led system and integrate into national development.

The response came after Ding said the executive-led system is a “shared responsibility and task" for the SAR government, legislative and judicial branches, as well as all sectors of the city’s community, when he joined deliberations among HKSAR deputies to the National People’s Congress at the fourth session of the 14th NPC.

Ding, who’s also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, reiterated the extreme importance of Hong Kong’s executive-led system.

He said the system isn’t solely the responsibility of the chief executive and the SAR government, but a shared duty of the legislature, the judiciary and all sectors of Hong Kong society. He also called on the city to better integrate into national development, particularly by aligning with the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) while firmly safeguarding social security and stability to promote high-quality economic growth.

NPC deputy Priscilla Leung Mei-fun said she’s deeply moved by Ding’s encouraging remarks.

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She said the vice-premier’s expectations have fully demonstrated the nation’s anticipation for Hong Kong to actively align its development with that of the nation’s during the 15th Five-Year plan.

This is also an important prerequisite for the SAR’s future development, the practicing solicitor said.

One way to do it is for Hong Kong to play a role in promoting and facilitating the development of the newly-established International Organization for Mediation – the world’s first intergovernmental body dedicated solely to mediation.

The IOMed, headquartered in Hong Kong, is on an important mission to deepen the nation’s role in international laws and global governance amid a turbulent geopolitical situation as well, Leung said.

Hong Kong can contribute in cultivating legal and professional talent that meets the nation’s high quality development in this regard, given the unique advantages of the city’s common law system and a deep foundation in the rule of law and an international perspective that brings together Chinese and Western cultures, as well as long-term experience in participating in the international economic and trade system, she said.

Another Hong Kong NPC deputy, Maggie Chan Man-ki, a seasoned solicitor and legislator, gave suggestions to optimize the executive-led system during the group deliberations.

She called for institutionalizing LegCo’s proactive engagement with the SAR government on bills – from pre-submission to post-implementation – and for enhanced judicial training to align national security rulings with the original inspiration of safeguarding national security and common law principles.

The executive, legislative and judicial branches must “perform together as one ensemble,” she said.

Ma Fung-kwok, head of the Hong Kong delegation to the NPC, said he felt Ding’s strong emphasis on Hong Kong leveraging its advantages to integrate into national development while pursuing its own progress. He noted that six deputies from Hong Kong shared their views during the deliberations, covering topics like the situation in the city following electoral reforms, and enhancing the SAR’s role as a financial center and medical hub.

Ding responded briefly after the deputies gave their views which, Ma said, was greatly encouraging.

Contact the writer at amberwu@chinadailyhk.com