Li underscores SARs' distinctive roles for nation

ChinesePremierLiKeqiangdelivershisreportduringtheopeningceremonyoftheNationalPeople'sCongressintheGreatHallofthePeopleinBeijingonMarch5,2016.(RoyLiu/ChinaDaily)

（CHINADAILY）PremierLiKeqiang’slatestannualgovernmentworkreporthasputemphasisonthe"distinctivestrengths"ofthespecialadministrativeregionsofHongKongandMacaotoadvancethecountry'seconomicdevelopmentandopeningup.

PremierLideliveredtheworkreportbeforetheannualNationalPeople'sCongresssessioninBeijingonSaturday.TheHongKongandMacaoSARs,asinpreviousyears,weregivenabriefaddresstowardstheendofreport.

'Onecountry, Twosystems'upheld

LisaidthecentralgovernmentwilltakeadvantageofthedistinctivestrengthsofthetwoSARsandelevatethecities'rolesinthecountry'seconomicdevelopmentandopeningup,aswellastohelpthetworegionssharpentheircompetitiveness.

"WeareconvincedthatHongKongandMacaowillmaintainlongtermprosperityandstability,"thepremiersaid.

Thereportreaffirmedthecentralgovernment’spledgetocomprehensivelyandaccuratelyimplementtheprinciplesof"OneCountry,TwoSystems","HongKongpeoplegoverningHongKong,""MacaopeoplegoverningMacao,"andbothregionsenjoyingahighdegreeofautonomy.

Thecentralgovernmentpledgedagain,asinlastyear'sworkreport,toactinstrictaccordancewiththeConstitutionandtheBasicLaws,andtofullysupportthechiefexecutivesoftheHongKongandMacaoSARstogoverntheircitiesinaccordancewiththeirrespectivelaws.

TheConstitutionwasfirstmentionedinlastyear'sreport.NPCStandingCommitteememberRitaFanHsuLai-taisaidonSaturdaythatthereportaddressedtheConstitutionagainasalotofpeoplehavemisinterpretedtheBasicLaw.

ThoughthecreationofandsystemsgoverningtheSARsaresetoutbyarticle31oftheConstitution,themajoritypartoftheConstitutiondoesnotdirectlyapplyinHongKongandMacao.

NPCdeputyandHongKongExecutiveCouncilorChengYiu-tong,however,saidthatHongKongresidentsshouldreadthetextinfulltobetterunderstanditsrelationshipwiththeBasicLaw.

AlanHooHon-ching,amemberoftheChinesePeople'sPoliticalConsultativeConference(CPPCC)NationalCommitteeandabarristerinHongKong,saiditwasareminderforthecity'slocalismadvocatesnottoactbeyondlinesdrawnbythenationalConstitution.

HongKongChiefExecutiveLeungChun-ying(right)leavesaftertheopeningceremonyoftheNationalPeople'sCongressattheGreatHallofthePeopleinBeijingonMarch5,2016.(WANGZHAO/AFP)

HongKongChiefExecutiveLeungChun-yingattendstheopeningceremonyoftheNationalPeople'sCongressattheGreatHallofthePeopleinBeijingonMarch5,2016.(WANGZHAO/AFP)

Pledgeofsupport

TheNPCopeningsessiononSaturdayalsosawthereleaseofthedraft13thFive-Yearnationaldevelopmentplan.

HongKongandMacaoweregivenadedicatedchapterthattouchesontrade,financialmarketandthe"BeltandRoad"initiative.

ThecentralgovernmentwilllendsupporttoHongKongincementingitsglobalstatusinfinance,logisticsandtrade,andtostrengthenthebusinessinrenminbiandassetmanagement,accordingtothedraftblueprint.

Thereportalsoaffirmedcentralauthorities'supportforHongKongtoboosttheinnovationandtechnologysector,nurturenewindustries,andexpandinternationalarbitrationservice.SupportwasalsogiventoMacaotodiversifyitsgambling-dependenteconomywithafocusontourism.

ThedevelopmentblueprintalsopushedfordeeperexchangebetweenthemainlandandtheSARsinsociety,culture,educationandenvironment.Italsopromisedsupportforsmallenterprisesandyoungpeopletostartbusinessesonthemainland.

NPCdeputyPriscillaLauPui-kingsaidshehadspottedeightmentionsof"support"throughouttheFive-YearPlanforvarioussectorsofHongKong.Shetoldreportersthatitsuggestedthecountry'sblueprinthasofferedadetailedanalysisonwhatrolesHongKongshouldplayinthefuture.

LauSiu-kai,aCPPCCmemberandvicechairmanofChineseAssociationofHongKongandMacaoStudies,saidtheworkreportandFive-YearPlanhavemadeclearagainthatwhileHongKong'seconomicdevelopmentwasslowascomparedwiththatoftheChinesemainland,HongKongcanstillplaykeyrolesinnewinitiatives,suchastheinternationalizationofrenminbi.

"Weneedtosharpentheexistingedgesandnurturenewadvantagestocatchupwiththedevelopmentofthecountry,"Lausaid.

CPPCCStandingCommitteememberHenryTangYing-yensaidHongKongneedstoseizethecountry'snewopportunitiesaseconomicgrowthiskeytoimproveupwardmobilityandallayconcernsofyoungpeople.

Apartfromthat,Tangalsoadvisedthecitygovernmenttoshowmorecareaboutthespiritualpursuitofyoungpeople.

Meanwhile,youngpeopleinMacaofaceadifferentkindofupwardmobilityissue,astheMacaolawmandatesthatcasinooperatorscanhireonlylocalresidentsascasinogametabledealers,whoareconsideredwellpaid.

AmbroseSoShu-fai,aCPPCCmemberandChiefExecutiveOfficerofMacao'sSJMHoldings,admittedthatcasinooperatorshavelittleincentivetopromotedealersascompetitionforlocalworkersistough.

He,therefore,welcomeddeepercross-bordercooperation.

ThegoaltoturnMacaointoaleisuretraveldestinationanddiversifyitseconomicstructurewasputforwardinlastFive-YearPlan.SotoldChinaDailythatMacaoismovingclosertothegoal,witheasieraccessforMacaobusinessestoHengqininZhuhai.

TheveterancasinoexecutivesaidifmoreMacaobusinessesaresetupinHengqin,theycanoffermorewell-paidprofessionaljobstoMacaoyouth.