Adapt to a changing order, says CY Leung in National Day speech
Chief executive calls on Hongkongers to seize opportunities for both co-operation and competition as the nation moves forward
Hongkongers need to adapt to the changing regional and world order and identify new ways in which the city can contribute to the nation's development, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said in a speech to mark National Day.
Leung called on the city's residents to "contribute to the progress of China" while working for the prosperity of Hong Kong. He said his government "attaches great importance" to boosting co-operation with the mainland, but that a new emerging regional and global order would bring both opportunities for competition and co-operation.
The world is changing, China is moving forward. Hong Kong should [identify] new functions we can perform
But former chief secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen, Leung's rival in the election for the city's top job last year, reminded the chief executive of the importance of accepting criticism, after a number of government policies had been "questioned" since Leung took office.
Leung spoke at a National Day reception at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai yesterday, after attending a flag-raising ceremony at Golden Bauhinia Square alongside his predecessors Tung Chee-hwa and Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, who was absent a year ago.
The speech came amid debate over whether Shanghai's new free-trade zone will threaten Hong Kong's position as China's pre-eminent international financial centre.
"The world is changing, China is moving forward," Leung said. "Hong Kong should [identify] new functions we can perform.
"As Chinese, we, together with all people of China, should make contributions to the development of our country while doing our best to maintain the prosperity and stability of [the city]."