President Hu Jintao expressed confidence that Hongkongers feel proud to be Chinese and can govern the city well, in a speech opening the 18th Chinese Communist Party congress in Beijing on Thursday morning.
“We firmly believe that Hong Kong and Macau compatriots not only have the wisdom, ability, ways to govern and develop the SARs [special administrative regions] well, but can definitely play a proactive role in national affairs and share the dignity and pride of being Chinese, along with all Chinese people of different ethnic groups,” Hu said.
His remarks come after recent protests in Hong Kong where small groups of people waved the British flag and chanted anti-Chinese slogans.
Earlier, Lu Ping, former director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, told the South China Morning Post: “Those who do not recognise they are Chinese should look at what is written on their passports or they should renounce their Chinese nationality.”
Chen Zuoer, former deputy director of the office, also lamented the waving of the colonial flag during protests.
As for some Hongkongers’ concerns about integration with the mainland, Hu stressed today that Beijing would continue to support Hong Kong and Macau, to strengthen economic ties to the mainland. The principle of “one country, two systems” was recognised around the world as a success.