Two sessions: HK delegates keen to deepen integration

National lawmakers and political advisers from Hong Kong on Monday said they are keen to learn more about progress with national development and to further the city's integration into national development as they departed for Beijing to attend the national two sessions.

They said they are enthusiastic about attending the annual sessions of the nation's top political advisory body — the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, and the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature, which will commence on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Hong Kong has 36 NPC deputies and over 180 CPPCC National Committee members.

Speaking at Hong Kong International Airport before departing for Beijing, Starry Lee Wai-king, Hong Kong's member of the NPC Standing Committee, said this year marks the end of the nation's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), which outlined eight positions for Hong Kong. She said the sessions provide a good opportunity to review the contributions and efforts made by Hong Kong toward the nation's development, and also for putting forward constructive suggestions for the upcoming five-year plan.

She also said she is looking forward to hearing the government work report, to be delivered by Premier Li Qiang during the two sessions, which summarizes the previous year's work and outlines the vision behind China's path to modernization in the coming year.

Lee expressed her confidence in the country's ability to drive economic growth, saying that she believes the central authorities will introduce more policies to stimulate investment from private enterprises' in both the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong markets.

NPC deputy Ronick Chan Chun-ying, who is also a local lawmaker representing the finance sector, said he is also keen to hear the government work report, as it will provide insights into the nation's economic growth engines and pace.

He said he expects to see additional policy instruments introduced to drive domestic demand, thereby providing momentum for sustainable growth in gross domestic product.

Jimmy Ng Wing-ka, another Hong Kong NPC deputy, said he is interested to learn about how the country will utilize artificial intelligence and more technologies to accelerate industrial upgrading.

Many of the Hong Kong delegates attending the two sessions share a keen interest in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area — an 11-city cluster in which Hong Kong is a core city.

National lawmaker Maggie Chan Man-ki emphasized the need to boost talent exchanges inside the 11-city cluster, while Shiu Ka-fai, a Hong Kong member of the CPPCC National Committee, said he hopes a shot-in-the-arm will be announced to boost the tourism industry in the Greater Bay Area.