LegCo's role in fostering HK's integration into nation's development highlighted

Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, president of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, on Monday highlighted the legislature's role in helping the city further integrate into the nation's development and seek new impetus of the city's long-term development.

It is the best time for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to seize the opportunities brought by the country's development, Leung said when he addressed a seminar on the National 14th Five-Year Plan.

At the event, three central government officials and experts from national think tanks briefed local lawmakers on the country's 14th Five-Year Plan, mainly related to finance and inno-tech, and answered their questions on the blueprint. This was the first time central government officials had hosted a seminar at the SAR's LegCo.

Leung, in his welcome speech, mentioned fostering the city's integration into the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the country's "dual circulation" development paradigm are two key tasks of the HKSAR.

LegCo, as a lawmaking branch of the HKSAR, plays an important role in supervising and collaborating with the executive, who authorizes implementation of these major tasks, Leung said.

The seminar is the second such talk given by the delegation on Monday, following a morning session at SAR government headquarters, and was attended by local officials and representatives of various sectors.

The seminar can help lawmakers to get a grasp of the contents of the country's development blueprint and essentials of the Five-Year Plan, Leung noted. It could also help them explore how to leverage the city's strengths to serve the country, as well as to solve the city's long-term problems and seek new economic impetus,.

Leung encouraged lawmakers to seize the opportunity and communicate with central government officials and experts.

The seminar also featured a question and answer session in which lawmakers fielded their questions to central officials and experts.

Speaking at the same event, Huang Liuquan, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, said society should reach a consensus that Hong Kong needs to put its efforts into the city's development.

Noting "development" is the key solution to Hong Kong's social problems, Huang said the LegCo shoulders great responsibility to boost the city's development.

He suggested Hong Kong leverage its unique advantages in economy, the legal system and talent resources to join hands with the Chinese mainland for further development of both the country and the city.