Turbulence ahead: Hong Kong chief executive expects ‘emotional resistance’ as he advances Beijing development plans

（SCMP）Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying expects Hong Kong to encounter “emotional resistance and political interference” domestically when the government presses ahead with initiatives spelt out in Beijing’s 13th five-year development plan.

Thecityriskedignoringopportunitiesonthemainlandatitsownperil,hesaid.ForHongKongtoplayitsroleasa“superconnector”–Leung’sfavouredbuzzword–tothemainland,thereneededtobepropersupportnotonlyfromthegovernmentbutallpartiesinthecity,hesaid.

“TheworkoftheHongKonggovernmentneedsthesupportofthewholesociety,especiallyfromthelawmakers,”hetoldamediaforumontheeconomicblueprint.

“Duringtheimplementation[ofthefive-yearplan],HongKongmightencountersomeemotionalresistanceandpoliticalinterference,”saidLeung,withoutidentifyinganypartyorpersons.

Hesaidthegovernmentwouldpushforcooperationwiththemainlandintechnology,R&D,innovation,logistics,trade,professionalandhigh-endservices,yuantrade,andotherareas.

Bothsidesofthepoliticaldividewereswifttoreacttohiscomments.Pro-establishmentlawmakerssaidtheysharedLeung’sfrustrationswhileseveralotherscautionedthatlabellinganydebateonthefive-yearplanasanobstaclewouldfueltensions.

FormerDABchairmanTamYiu-chungtoldthePostthatpan-democraticlawmakerswerethemostlikelysubjectsofLeung’sremarks.HesaidthatcontinuedfilibusteringhadpreviouslyblockedorprolongedtheconstructionofseveraldevelopmentprojectslinkingHongKongtothemainland.

Buthedidn’texpect“politicalinterference”tohaveasubstantialimpactontheimplementationofthedevelopmentblueprintinthecity.

“Theycan’tblockall[legislation],theyonlyprolongtheprocess”,Tamsaid.

Leung’scommentsdidnotgodownwellwithotherswhofeareddivisionswouldonlywidenifdebatewasseenasanobstacle.

“Asthechiefexecutive,heshouldsparenoefforttobringthesocietytogether,evenwhenfacingopposition,”saidChungKim-wah,anassistantprofessorofpublicpolicyatPolytechnicUniversity.

“Hisvaguewordsleavetoomuchroomforexplanation…Itcouldbelocalists,theyoungergenerationandthepro-democraticlawmakers,”Chungsaid,“Anyonecouldusehiswordsasatooltogoagainsttheoppositeparties.”

Inhisspeech,Leungstressedthevastnumberofemploymentopportunitiesavailabletothecity’syoungergenerationinthelatestdevelopmentplan.

The13thfive-yearplan,releasedlastweek,willguidethecountry’seconomicandsocialdevelopmentfrom2016through2020.Intheblueprint,Beijingexpectsitseconomytogrowbymorethan6.5percentperyear.

Leungalsowarnedthatcompetitionfrommainlandcitieswouldonlyheighten.“Wecan’tavoidtherealitythatHongKongwillfacemorecompetitionfrommainlandcitiesandindustriesduringthe13thfive-yearplanuntil2020.”

Attheforum,TiongHiewKing,executivedirectorofMingPao’sparentcompanyMediaChineseInternational,condemnedHongKong’spro-independenceforces,whichhewarnedwould“ruinHongKong’sfuture”.

“HongKongshouldnotandcannotbeindependent,”hesaid.

BeforetheweeklyExecutiveCouncilmeetingonTuesdaymorning,LeungwasaskedbythePostwhathemeantby“politicalinterference”.

Hesaid:“ManyplansandworksinHongKongaremetwithpoliticisedresistance.Weneedtoworkalongwiththenation’sdevelopmentstrategy,becauseHongKongwillbenefit.

“Butwhilecooperationandintegrationaremaintrendsintheglobaleconomy,therearepeopleinHongKongwhopoliticisethingsandareverysensitiveaboutintegration.”

HeaddedthattherewerealsopeopleinHongKongwhosuggesteditwaswrongformainlandauthoritiestoincludethecityintheirplans.

“Ithinkweneedtobepragmaticonourrelationshipwiththenation,”Leungsaid.

Earlierthismonth,ZhangDejiang,thestateleaderoverseeingHongKongaffairs,warnedthatHongKongshouldavoid“politicising”itseconomicproblemsandresortingto“streetpolitics”asitwouldtarnishthecity’simage.