A senior government official revealed on Tuesday that Beijing's 11th 5-year
Plan reflects China's determination to promote Hong Kong's prosperity and long
term stability as a leading international financial services centre.
Xu Lin, Deputy Director General of the National Development & Reform
Commission Department of Development Planning, told a seminar attended by 170
Hong Kong civil servants that under the Basic Law and the principle of 'One
Country, Two Systems,' the planning and arrangement of socio-economic
development should be left to the government of the Special Administrative
Region.
"By capitalising its advantage and potential, and through enhancing its
competitiveness, Hong Kong could certainly thrive for a better future," he
stated.
Meanwhile, Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, Stephen Lam stated that
under the plan, support will be given to Hong Kong's development on fronts such
as financial services, logistics, tourism and information services, and to
maintain Hong Kong's status as an international hub on financial services, trade
and shipping.
"This shows that development of the Mainland and Hong Kong is closely related
as well as complementary. The principle of One Country, Two Systems is fully
illustrated by the fact that the 11th 5-year Plan does not include concrete and
detailed planning on Hong Kong," observed Mr Lam.
Mr Lam urged his colleagues in the SAR to strengthen their understanding of
the 5 year plan.
Hong Kong's Constitutional Affairs Bureau is working on forming a Mainland
affairs liaison office, to enhance co-ordination on co-operation with the
Mainland.
