Imbued with history, purpose and vision

Regina Ip writes HK will only continue to prosper if its young people are willing to get on board the express train of national development steered by General Secretary Xi

General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Xi Jinping's report delivered to the 19th Party congress on Oct 18 must have been the report which has reverberated around the largest numbers of people in the modern history of China. In addition to extensive media coverage within and outside China, thanks to the Chinese people's love of the use of the internet, Xi's many unforgettable soundbites and messages rapidly lit a bonfire of discussions in blogosphere.

For Hong Kong people, the soundbite which instantly went viral is Xi's directive that "homes are built for people to live in, not for people to seek profit by speculation". In a city well known for property speculation and the widening rift between those who have homes and those who don't, Xi's words struck a chord among tens of thousands struggling to improve their living conditions.

Apart from taking the pulse of the nation accurately on many social and economic issues, the most striking feature of Xi's report is his strong sense of mission to continue the task of his forbears to build China into a modern, prosperous and innovative nation. Although currently still at an early stage of the development of socialism and a developing country, Xi spelt out clearly his goal of leading the CPC to complete its two "hundred years' plans" to realize the Chinese dream. The ultimate aim is the rejuvenation of the nation so that China can regain its past glory and claim its rightful place in the world's league of nations.

With this grand objective and historic mission in mind, Xi's report is marked by themes of continuity and change. Recalling the great sufferings the Chinese people and the standard bearers of new China had gone through, Xi unequivocally and optimistically points to a bright future. China's future will be one which is progressive, harnessing the world's most advanced technologies to solve the many social, economic and ecological challenges that the nation faces. The nation is on the cusp of change, on the way to leading the world in bringing back green fields and blue skies, and in improving the material and spiritual well-being of the people.

Xi's report is also striking in the unrelenting spirit of self-criticism. Xi spared no effort in pinpointing the economic problems that the nation faces - the problem of "unbalanced and inadequate development" and the need for the economy to perform better to deliver more inclusive and open growth. In regard to governance of the Party and of the bureaucracy, Xi stressed that Party members must "look themselves in the mirror, tidy up their appearance, clean themselves up and rid themselves of various ills". Officials must avoid pitfalls of formalism and hedonism; repudiate privileges and discard red tape. There would be no let-off in the campaign against corruption. All corrupt officials - whether they be "tigers, flies or foxes" - must be hunted down.

Xi also provided strong ideological underpinnings for the people-based governance system adopted by the Party. Hinting that democratic governance is not the exclusive preserve of Western democracies, Xi stressed that the well-being and the aspirations of the people must be the lodestar of the ruling echelon. The Party, and by extension the government, derives its legitimacy from the people and stands or falls on its ability to improve the welfare of the people. China's system of consultative democracy makes possible consultation with minorities and groups with divergent views, fosters moral revival and strengthening of the rule of law. It ensures solidarity, continuity and steadfastness of purpose in a world of turmoil and breathtaking change.

Xi also gave reassurances about the Party's commitment to "one country, two systems". Talking about Hong Kong and Macao in the same section as Taiwan, Xi clearly sees resolving all three historic problems as part of the nation's grand plan for reunification. Xi dispelled fears of erosion of the "one country, two systems" principle by pointing out that the central authorities' "overall jurisdiction" must be "organically linked" with the high level of autonomy of the two special administrative regions. In other words, "overall jurisdiction" and "high level of autonomy" are two sides of the same coin - Hong Kong would not enjoy a high level of autonomy if the central government's overall jurisdiction is not ensured.

For me, the most inspiring words are Xi's reminder that: "History will only favor those who are steadfast in purpose, willing to push ahead and have fighting spirit. History will not wait for those who are hesitant, lethargic or shun difficulty." Xi also stressed our nation's future lies with our young people - a nation is strong if the younger generation is strong; it is prosperous if the younger generation prospers. This dictum cannot be more relevant for Hong Kong: Our national growth strategies through launching the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development are replete with opportunities for Hong Kong. But Hong Kong only stands to prosper if our young people are willing to charge forward to grasp the opportunities, just as the older generations had created massive wealth by venturing outward to build manufacturing capabilities in vast areas, and transformed Hong Kong into a world-class service economy. The wheels of progress will not wait for those who are hesitant. Hong Kong will only continue to prosper if its young people are willing to get on board the express train of development and change.

(HK Edition 10/25/2017 page10)