Various sectors call for quick, full implementation of Xi's instructions

Hong Kong lawmakers, political parties, social organizations and heavyweights from various sectors on Wednesday urged the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government to pull out all the stops to implement President Xi Jinping's instructions on the city's anti-pandemic efforts.

The remarks came after Xi required the SAR government, which is confronting the city's fifth wave of the COVID-19 outbreak, to make full use of all resources and forces and introduce all possible measures to protect the lives and safety of Hong Kong residents and ensure society's stability.

According to the Chinese-language newspaper Ta Kung Pao, Xi also told related departments of the central government and local governments on the mainland to fully support the special administrative region's anti-pandemic efforts.

All 90 Legislative Council members in a joint statement expressed sincere appreciation to Xi, saying his instructions will strengthen residents' confidence in the COVID-19 battle.

Lawmakers promised that they will fully support the SAR government's anti-pandemic work, including rendering more feasible suggestions and improving efficiency when the city needs to amend laws to curb the outbreak.

The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions on Wednesday said it hopes that the SAR government will proactively put Xi's instructions into practice, including closely working with Chinese mainland medical experts and mapping out a strategy and detailed plans on how the city will fight the fifth wave of the pandemic.

The HKFTU also urged the government to make every effort to ensure supportive medical resources and manpower from the mainland can arrive in Hong Kong, and that the mainland medical team can start work in the city as soon as possible.

People from all walks of life in Hong Kong should explore all possible ways and make use of all resources to win the battle against the outbreak as well, the HKFTU added.

The Liberal Party expressed gratitude to the nation's top leader for his concern and instructions, saying that the instructions and promises brought hope to residents.

The party in a statement urged the city's civil servants, medical workers, Disciplined Services employees and all residents to work together to fight the pandemic and support the government's efforts in the battle against the virus.

Tam Yiu-chung, Hong Kong member of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, said that the country always stands behind Hong Kong and backs it up whenever the city encounters a crisis. He said that all government officials, civil servants, medical workers and residents should make a united effort to constrain the pandemic with the country's support.

Priscilla Leung Mei-fun, a barrister and lawmaker, welcomed Xi's instructions, saying the central government's decisive and swift action shows that it listens to Hong Kong residents' voices and always has the people's interests at heart.

Tan Yueheng, a lawmaker from the banking industry, said that Xi's instructions not only are a shot in the arm for the city's anti-pandemic efforts, but also set the direction and a goal for the SAR government to pursue to curb the pandemic.

Tan suggested the government learn from the mainland's successful experience in fighting the pandemic and set up a "closed loop" management system, separating infected patients and suspected infections from the community at large.

The Hong Kong Community Anti-Coronavirus Link, a social organization comprising various sectors in the city, on Wednesday pledged that it will do its best to cooperate with the Hong Kong government to mobilize all resources in the community in a bid prevent the virus from spreading farther across the city.

The group urged different sectors, businesses and organizations to join forces to fight the pandemic via various ways, including donating anti-pandemic supplies, raising money, and hiring volunteers.