Officials' outreach activities show people-centered spirit

Recent outreach activities by officials at the central government's Liaison Office in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have set a positive example of serving the community with a people-centered mindset, representatives of the business and political sectors said.

The remarks came as officials of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR visited and interacted with Hong Kong residents from various backgrounds, such as grassroots families, fishermen, young entrepreneurs, vendors, and practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine.

Through the exchanges, the officials listened to the challenges people face, their biggest concerns, and suggestions for supportive policies.

These outreach activities demonstrate that the central government has made Hong Kong residents' well-being and quality of living a high priority, and the outreach initiatives set a good example for the SAR's future governing team, District Councilor Ngan Man-yu said.

He added that listening to residents' opinions and suggestions is an important part to improve governance.

Ip Kin-ming, a businessman and Hong Kong member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, said solving the city's long-standing issues related to people's livelihood will be a challenging task. And those with aspirations to join the city's governing team should emulate how the Liaison Office's officials interacted with local residents to strengthen two-way communication and gather valuable input from the public for policy improvements, he said.

Yiu Si-wing, a lawmaker representing the city's tourism sector, said he believed that such dialogue between central government officials and local residents will help Hong Kong society form a more accurate and appreciative understanding of the central government and its Hong Kong-related policies.

Central government officials can gain insights into the issues Hong Kong people are concerned about, and be better-informed when they look into possible solutions or come up with relevant policy recommendations, he added.