Senior officials of the central and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region governments on Wednesday called for coordinated development and security, using high-level security to safeguard the SAR’s prosperity and open a new chapter for “one country, two systems” under the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30).

They spoke at the opening ceremony marking the 11th National Security Education Day at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, with the theme “Proactively Align with the 15th Five-Year Plan – Follow a Holistic Approach to Development and Security” as 2026 heralds the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan.

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Xia Baolong – head of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office – delivered a keynote address at the ceremony via video link.

He said the experience of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2015), the social unrest in Hong Kong in 2019, and the city’s successes in trade and last year’s initial public offering fundraising have fully demonstrated that development and security are two wings of the same body – a dialectical and unified relationship that also charts the way forward for Hong Kong.

“Security enables development. Without security, nothing else is possible. Only by holding this bottom line can we secure development and win the future,” Xia said.

Under the 15th Five-Year Plan, the central government places greater emphasis on balancing development and security, he said, requiring high-efficiency governance and a new security framework to promote a virtuous cycle between high-quality growth and security.

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Xia also called for collective efforts to “safeguard Hong Kong’s journey from stability to prosperity” with high-level security, and opening a new chapter for the “one country, two systems” development in the SAR during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

He warned that security cannot be achieved once and for all, while risks to national security and Hong Kong’s stability, including those from geopolitics, still exist, and all sectors must remain vigilant.

He hopes the SAR will continue to leverage its strengths to serve national needs and proactively align its own first five-year plan with the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan. 

He said he is confident that the legislative and judicial branches will conscientiously respect and uphold executive-led governance, working in synergy with the executive branch, and join forces with all sectors of society to build a better future for Hong Kong as it integrates into the national development landscape.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who also spoke at the event, cited the white paper entitled “Hong Kong: Safeguarding China’s National Security Under the Framework of ‘One Country, Two Systems’”, issued by the State Council’s Information Office in February.

He pledged to follow the document’s guidance by upholding the unity of the central government’s fundamental responsibility and Hong Kong’s constitutional responsibility, keeping the power of governing the SAR firmly in the hands of patriots, respecting and protecting human rights, and safeguarding security under the rule of law.

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Lee vowed to better balance development and security, and complete the drafting of Hong Kong’s first five-year plan this year, saying this will guide socio-economic development and unite sectors in integrating into the national agenda.

A number of senior officials also attended and addressed the opening ceremony, including Zhou Ji, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; Dong Jingwei, director of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s  Government in the HKSAR; Cui Jianchun, commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR; and Lai Ruxin, political commissar of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison.

The Security Bureau and disciplined services held a joint flag-raising ceremony at Hong Kong Police College in Wong Chuk Hang on Wednesday morning, kicking off a range of themed activities across the city. These include open days organized by disciplined and auxiliary services, the National Security Cup awards presentation ceremony for the disciplined services, as well as seminars and school workshops.

More than 100 community and school activities are being held in Hong Kong’s 18 districts in support of National Security Education Day. A large-scale drone performance on national security will be staged over Victoria Harbour on Wednesday evening.

Contact the writer at gangwen@chinadailyhk.com