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Zhang Dejiang, who chairs the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, arrives in Hong Kong on May 17. Photo: Xinhua

Zhang Dejiang’s visit shows Beijing’s ‘care and love’ for city, says member of think tank

Article by Timothy Kwai in overseas edition of People’s Daily says state leader’s participation in One Belt, One Road forum shows strong support from central government

A top state leader’s participation in a New Silk Road forum to be held in the city next week shows the central government’s “care and love” for the special administrative region, according to a member of a Beijing think tank.

Zhang Dejiang, who chairs the National People’s Congress Standing Committee and oversees Hong Kong’s affairs, will arrive in the city on Tuesday next week

He will attend a seminal summit on the “One Belt, One Road” initiative at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai the next day, on May 18.

In an article published on Tuesday in the People’s Daily overseas edition ahead of Zhang’s arrival, Timothy Kwai Ting-kong, a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, said the visit by the state leader demonstrated the central government’s “care and love” for the city.

“The visit by Zhang Dejiang to Hong Kong to participate in the forum and to make a keynote speech fully shows the central government’s care and love for Hong Kong and fully shows the central government’s attention to and strong support for Hong Kong to play its unique role in the ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative,” said Kwai.

“[This] also shows the important role Hong Kong plays in the country’s new round of development strategy.”

Kwai added that Hong Kong can find new economic impetus under the current “economic cold front” in “One Belt, One Road”, a development strategy by the Chinese government to revive the land and maritime Silk Roads dating back to the days of Marco Polo.

He said Hong Kong can use its geographical advantage, financial platform, legal expertise and advantageous tax rates to cooperate with cities in mainland China to explore economic opportunities in British Commonwealth countries along the New Silk Road.

Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying had repeatedly stressed that the city can play the role of a “super connector” in the New Silk Road initiative.

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