Earlier this month, Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, visited Hong Kong to attend the Belt and Road (B&R) Summit jointly held by the SAR government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. This was a heated topic discussed by almost every Hong Kong resident during his three-day visit, with his statements and activities attracting considerable attention. I believe Zhang intended to draw great attention by his Hong Kong visit as he wanted to convey some messages from the central government.

There were different interpretations of Zhang's Hong Kong trip among the public and media before his arrival; some people were even speculating about the political implications of it. After he arrived, Zhang clearly stated that he intended to "observe, listen and speak". From what I observed, he did not intend to give any hints on Beijing's thoughts about the selection of the SAR's next Chief Executive. What he really wanted was to help reduce political bickering in Hong Kong, and put the SAR back on track in regard to "developing the economy and improving people's livelihoods". In other words, he was only emphasizing the golden opportunity the B&R Initiative is offering Hong Kong.

Before leaving the SAR, Zhang emphasized that Hong Kong was established on the basis of an economy-oriented society and it subsequently developed into an international finance center. "We are all in the same boat. If Hong Kong does well, everyone will benefit. If Hong Kong becomes chaotic, everyone has to foot the bill," Zhang said. This was sincere advice for the SAR, a city whose economic development has been derailed by relentless political wrangling in recent years. The political infighting which has undermined our competitiveness will continue to do harm to every one of us unless we refocus on economic development.

I've heard some views that the State leader did not bring any "presents" which could immediately benefit Hong Kong. From my point of view, however, he has brought the one thing we need most at the moment - reassurance. Before the visit, there were rumors that by the year 2047, the "One Country, Two Systems" policy would be changed to "One Country, One System". This rumor is clearly maliciously spread by certain sections of society to cause panic among the public. Zhang's speech, in response to the rumor, has clarified the original intention of the "One Country, Two Systems" policy. Clearing up doubts in people's minds is more important than bringing any sort of "gifts".

When I reconsider the history of Hong Kong, I cannot not help but be amazed. Due to the hard work of generations of our predecessors, Hong Kong has developed into a beloved home for 7.2 million residents and an international metropolis. It all started from humble beginnings as a small fishing village without many natural resources. But today, when I see the behavior of people carrying out filibusters, insulting mainland tourists, and instigating anti-rich and anti-police campaigns, I sigh with resignation. Will the destruction of social stability and the business environment be in any sense beneficial to Hong Kong? Absolutely not!

More than three decades ago, Hong Kong's industrial sector benefited from the mainland's policy of reforms and liberalization. That was the first golden opportunity for Hong Kong. And now, just as Hong Kong enterprises are gradually losing their advantages to the mainland's rapidly expanding private companies, the B&R Initiative brings us another golden opportunity with massive market potential. What we have to do is maximizing the Hong Kong spirit again to boost our economy. On my recent trip with other members of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, I found that emerging markets in that region remained largely untapped by Hong Kong companies. We should take a free ride offered by the country via the B&R Initiative to carve out a new road there.

(HK Edition 05/30/2016 page9)