Hong Kong is never left out in the nation's development strategy. The city's unique role was reaffirmed by President Xi Jinping when he met with members of delegations from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions on Monday during their visit to Beijing to join in celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the nation's reform and opening-up. In that process, the roles of the two SARs have been unique and irreplaceable, and the contributions made by Hong Kong and Macao compatriots have been enormous, the president said. In his words, uniqueness is the key feature of Hong Kong.

The meeting was significant for Hong Kong. Apart from words of appreciation, Xi also delivered two important messages to Hong Kong people. The first concerns national security, and the second about national development. In both aspects, Hong Kong's uniqueness plays an important role.

In national security, Hong Kong's role is vital in upholding "one country". At the meeting, the president urged Hong Kong and Macao to protect national security and take a more proactive part in the governance of the country in the years to come. Macao, on its part, had already completed the legislation process regarding its version of the national security law. But that process in Hong Kong has dragged on. While the HKSAR Government has put great efforts into using existing ordinances to combat separatism and safeguard national security, legal loopholes still exist and need to be plugged.

In retrospect, patriotism forms the basis of Hong Kong's participation in the nation's reform and opening-up. Patriotism implies trust and bonding between the SAR and the country. Hong Kong is invited to co-write the new chapter of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. When participating in the nation's future deepening reform and opening-up, the demand for trust could only be stronger. This level of trust can only be maintained by concrete actions to safeguard national sovereignty.

In national development, it means great opportunities for Hong Kong in the context of "two systems". In the past four decades, the reform and opening-up process, launched by late State leader Deng Xiaoping, has contributed to China's emergence as the world's second-biggest economy. Hong Kong has not only contributed to the process but also benefited from it. The city has become the international financial, commerce and shipping hub it is today. The key factor has been Hong Kong's high level of openness and international connections, and this factor is maintained in the "two systems" arrangement.

With the nation poised to continue with its reform and opening-up drive, Hong Kong should make good use of its advantages under the "two systems" arrangement to proactively take part in national development, particularly in the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area project. The city's uniqueness allows it to play a significant role in the country's future development in areas like financing, economy, infrastructure construction, investment, education, science and technology. Indeed, Hong Kong has made plenty of progress in these fields following President Xi's call in May to turn Hong Kong into a global innovation-and-technology hub. For instance, the SAR government has signed an agreement with the country's top scientific institution, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, allowing the Beijing-based institution to set up a subsidiary in Hong Kong. The SAR government had also sealed an accord with the Ministry of Science and Technology in September, outlining a "top-level" action plan for future Hong Kong-mainland cooperation in innovation and technology. Thanks to the national plan to deepen reform and further opening up, Hong Kong can leverage its unique strengths, embedded in "two systems", to contribute to the country's further development.

President Xi has great expectations of Hong Kong. He hopes the city will more proactively participate in the country's governance, support the nation's further opening-up, integrate into its overall development, and promote international people-to-people exchanges. These expectations cannot be met without the full and accurate implementation of "one country, two systems". Walt Disney shared his view with people on uniqueness: "The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique." Upholding "one country, two systems" is the only way to make Hong Kong unique from any other city, not only on the Chinese mainland, but worldwide.

(HK Edition 11/15/2018 page8)