Of course, political controversies should not be trivialised, and these two issues in particular concern cross-border ties and trust building. But our politicians should not miss the bigger picture either, and that is the importance of the Beidaihe retreat and where China’s reform is heading under Xi.

The gathering, in a strict sense, is more of a brainstorming session by the nation’s top leaders than a formal meeting. Besides finalising the new leadership lineup for Xi’s next term, it is also to decide strategy on how to transform China into a more “powerful” country. Xi is now widely seen as joining the ranks of Mao Zedong, who put China on its feet, and Deng Xiaoping, who made the nation rich by opening it up.

Xi is determined to make China more powerful by taking reform to a new height. So, what does it mean for Hong Kong?

However, the party congress is not just about a top-level reshuffle. How to sustain China’s economic growth amid the very complex environments at home and abroad is a real and tough challenge.

Xi’s quote about “making people have a sense of gain” has not only become a popular slogan, but also a measurement to judge the performance of officials at all levels. This means a “powerful” country should be able to let its people feel the substantial benefits of reform, while in the international arena, it needs to be more assertive and ready in protecting its national interests.

Interestingly, the timing could be seen as both convenient and inconvenient: it gave Lam and her team a feel of the latest political and economic pulse up north ahead of the party congress; but major mainland policies may be due for further adjustments after the Beidaihe meeting, and later the party congress.

There is, however, one reality for Hong Kong: the need for officials and politicians to look across the border for future planning.