Stronger ties with SARs, GBA aid pledged ahead of session

China's top legislature and political advisers on Tuesday pledged to enhance support for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and further maintain and deepen ties among the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and the Chinese mainland.

A day before the opening of the National People's Congress annual session in Beijing, Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th NPC, said that Hong Kong and Macao, which for decades have served as critical windows for the nation's opening-up efforts, hold a unique position, contribute significantly and play an irreplaceable role.

During a news conference teeming with domestic and international reporters, Lou said that this year, the Standing Committee will carry out thematic research to further unlock the GBA's potential in legislative aspects, facilitating the region's integration into national strategies and benefiting its people.

With the aid of the policies rolled out by the central authorities, the GBA has seen stronger hard connectivity of infrastructure, soft connectivity of rules and institutions, and heartfelt connectivity among the people of Hong Kong, Macao and Guangdong province, Lou said.

The GBA development also gives the special administrative regions a chance to tackle their deep-seated problems, according to Lou.

With strong support from the central government, Hong Kong has increased its land coverage and housing supply to improve people's livelihoods, while Macao's newly completed Island Healthcare Complex, a joint effort between the city and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, has largely enhanced its healthcare capacity, Lou added.

Also on Tuesday afternoon, as the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee — the country's top political advisory body — commenced its third session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the nation's top political adviser said maintaining and enhancing ties with various Hong Kong and Macao sectors and groups — particularly young people — was an important task for the CPPCC National Committee.

At the meeting, while delivering a work report on behalf of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, Wang Huning, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, said last year, the national committee fully leveraged its role as a united front organization, initiating a series of communication activities between the mainland and the two special administrative regions.

Particularly, the CPPCC National Committee held 75 international seminars in campuses to enhance ties with young people from Hong Kong and Macao, Wang noted.

The committee also organized visits with its Hong Kong and Macao members to learn their opinions, while holding meetings to discuss issues such as how to better leverage the roles of the regions in the country's efforts to establish a new system for a higher-level open economy, Wang said.

The NPC annual session is set to begin on Wednesday and will continue until March 11. So far, 2,893 of the 2,929 NPC deputies have registered for the event.

Hong Kong is represented by 36 deputies in the top legislature, and Macao by 12. Honoring a longstanding tradition, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and Macao Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai will be present as guests at the session's opening.

The third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee will conclude on Monday morning.