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Stuart Lau

Kimmy Chung

China’s No 3 leader has told Hong Kong business leaders that the “key mission” for the city’s incoming administration is to focus on improving people’s livelihoods.
Zhang Dejiang, head of the National People’s Congress, the country’s legislature, made no mention of achieving further democracy.
He also praised the three post-handover chief executives for “doing a great deal” to ensure the increasingly polarised city stayed united.
Xi Jinping reminds Carrie Lam of need to solve Hong Kong’s conflicts and challenges
“The heart of the central government, after all, has always been with Hong Kong, caring about Hong Kong,” he said in Beijing while addressing a delegation from the Hong Kong Chinese General Chamber of Commerce.
Zhang made the remarks little more than a month before Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor takes the helm as chief executive on July 1, the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to Chinese sovereignty.
“With Lam’s landslide victory in the chief executive election, society expects further speeding up of development and improving of livelihoods,” Zhang, who oversees Hong Kong and Macau affairs, said. “That is the mainstream view and the key mission facing Hong Kong.”
Zhang also called on Hongkongers to seize the economic opportunities presented by China’s “One Belt, One Road” trade initiative – its effort to unite the region through a transport and infrastructure plan.
It feels like Zhang is airing his instructions for the next administration
Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, Civic Party leader
By skirting the issue of democratic reform, Zhang followed the example set by President Xi Jinping, who was also silent on the issue when he met Lam last month.
“It feels like Zhang is airing his instructions for the next administration,” Civic Party leader Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu said. “Let’s not forget former premier Wen Jiabao’s words that Hong Kong needed to resolve our deep-seated problems, which I argue include the need for democracy.”
Zhang is widely expected to retire from the all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee during a reshuffle by Xi later this year.
He will give a keynote speech on Hong Kong at the Great Hall of the People on Saturday, alongside Leung Chun-ying, the city’s outgoing chief executive.
The weight of expectation is on Carrie Lam’s shoulders
Commenting on post-handover developments, Zhang said all three chief executives – Tung Chee-hwa, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen and Leung – had adhered to the “one country, two systems” ruling principle and implemented the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution.
He said all three of them “did a great deal” to resolve differences, including rising calls by political radicals for Hong Kong independence, and to unite society.
Pan-democrats have argued that Leung has further divided rather than united society.
Lam, who was elected in March, said she would focus on healing social divisions.
But while promising to tackle issues such as education and housing, she has steered clear of the opposition pan-democrats’ biggest demand – ­restarting the stalled electoral ­reform process with the goal of universal suffrage.
Meanwhile, former No 2 official Anson Chan Fang On-sang expressed concerns about whether Hong Kong could maintain its lifestyle and core values in the future.
“Many people are increasingly concerned about Hong Kong’s future, given the steady erosion of one country two systems, a high degree of autonomy and Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong,” said Chan, who was chief secretary under Tung.


‘Key mission’ for next Hong Kong leader is improving livelihoods, China’s No 3 leader says

NPC chairman Zhang Dejiang (right) meets the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce delegation in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: Handout

Xi Jinping reminds Carrie Lam of need to solve Hong Kong’s conflicts and challenges

Chief executive-elect Carrie Lam meets President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Photo: ISD

(From left) Chief Executive-elect Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor meets Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing. Photo: XINHUA

(L5)Chief Executive-elect Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor meets (L6)Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing. 11APR17 PICTURE : POOL PICTURE

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Hong Kong

Politics

Zhang Dejiang, like the president before him, makes no mention of greater democracy
