The Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, welcomed the "Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035" (the 14th Five-Year Plan) approved by the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress today (March 11). The 14th Five-Year Plan demonstrates staunch support of the Central Government towards the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and explicitly supports Hong Kong to establish itself as the centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region.

     The Department of Justice (DoJ) will continue to liaise and work closely with its Mainland counterparts with a view to implementing more liberalisation measures and other new measures on legal services in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) to the benefit of Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution service sector. Some of the recent achievements include the GBA Legal Professional Examination, the signing of the Supplemental Arrangement Concerning Mutual Enforcement of Arbitral Awards between the Mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the amendment to the Regulations of the Qianhai Shenzhen – Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone.

     The DoJ will also continue to further enhance the work with the Mainland on judicial and dispute resolution matters in civil and commercial cases, as well as strengthen international and regional co-operation, fostering the city's irreplaceable position as a leading international legal hub for deal-making and dispute resolution services.
 
     Ms Cheng said that the DoJ will join hands with the legal and dispute resolution profession and other stakeholders to work dedicatedly on fully utilising Hong Kong's unique advantages in legal and dispute resolution services to support and complement the country's development.

     The National People's Congress (NPC) today (March 11) passed the Decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, issued the following statement:

     The Decision is welcomed and I agree that only through "patriots administering Hong Kong" could the "one country, two systems" principle be fully implemented, thereby ensuring the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and safeguarding the sovereignty, security and development interests of the country.

     Over the past few years, there have been people disseminating the idea of disobeying the laws, spreading anti-China sentiments to disrupt Hong Kong and advocating openly for "Hong Kong independence". Certain radical separatist forces even entered the HKSAR's governance framework through different elections, and in doing so exposed the clear loopholes of the existing electoral system in Hong Kong. As there will be a number of elections in the coming 12 months, there is a pressing need for the Central Authorities to take the lead to take measures in dealing with the relevant matters.

     China is a unitary state. According to the constitutional structure of China, power comes from the Central Authorities. The HKSAR enjoys a high degree of autonomy. However, some matters including the constitutional order in relation to the HKSAR are still within the purview of the Central Authorities. It is constitutional and legal for the NPC to adopt a "Decision plus amendment" approach in accordance with the Constitution, the Basic Law, the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and other relevant legal instruments to improve the electoral system of the HKSAR.

     I will continue to provide explanations to the community on the legal basis of the "Decision plus amendment" approach. The Department of Justice is committed to rendering full support to the Government in completing the legislative amendments and making necessary arrangements for the elections in the coming 12 months with a view to implementing the Decision on improving the HKSAR's electoral system at the earliest possible juncture.

     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, made the following statement in response to the passage of the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035 (the 14th Five-Year Plan) by the National People's Congress (NPC) today (March 11).

     I welcome the passage of the 14th Five-Year Plan by the NPC. Since the Outline of the National 12th Five-Year Plan, the Central Government has fully positioned Hong Kong's role in planning and taking forward the country's overall development. The 14th Five-Year Plan continues to incorporate the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in various areas, demonstrating the Central Government's strong support for maintaining Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability and providing an historic opportunity for the future development of Hong Kong. It also enables Hong Kong to complement the overall national development strategies under "one country, two systems".

     The current-term HKSAR Government attaches great importance to Hong Kong's integration into the country's overall development. It is most encouraging that the 14th Five-Year Plan has included the support for the development of a high-quality Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the support for building Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology hub, enhancing the city's status as an international aviation hub, and developing Hong Kong into an exchange centre for arts and culture between China and the rest of the world.

     In the opening year of the country's 14th Five-Year Plan this year, Hong Kong will actively integrate into the country's overall development, fully participate in the development of the GBA, and seize the important historical and new opportunities that cannot be missed in the further reform and opening up of the country. Hong Kong will also capitalise on its strengths to serve the country's needs and play its vital role as a "participant" in domestic circulation and a "facilitator" in international circulation in the country's economic development. With the strong support of the Central Government, the HKSAR Government will join hands with all sectors of society to build a harmonious and stable Hong Kong, and strive to forge ahead to ensure the steadfast and successful implementation of "one country, two systems".

     In regard to the Decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) passed by the National People's Congress (NPC) today (March 11), the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, made the following statement:

     I strongly support and warmly welcome the passage of the Decision by the NPC. It lays a solid foundation for improving the electoral system of the HKSAR, which is of a pressing need. With comprehensive implementation of the fundamental principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong", national sovereignty, security and development interests can be safeguarded, the Central Authorities' overall jurisdiction over the HKSAR effectively implemented, the constitutional order as set out in the Constitution and the Basic Law safeguarded, law and order restored, the steadfast and successful implementation of "one country, two systems" ensured, and the long-term stability and safety of Hong Kong achieved.

     It is natural and essential to require people vested with governing powers to be patriotic, which is also part and parcel of basic political ethics and a principle that applies everywhere in the world. Truly implementing the "patriots administering Hong Kong" principle can ensure effective governance underpinned by the Constitution, the Basic Law and the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Sharing the same goal, the governing team of the HKSAR Government will stand together to garner consensus in society to build a harmonious community, improve people's livelihoods, promote economic development and address deep-seated problems for the betterment of people, with the aim of making contribution to the country and Hong Kong, and enhancing Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability.

     The HKSAR Government fully respects the Central Government taking the lead to improve the electoral system and will fully co-operate and support the relevant follow-up work, including strengthening explanation to the public, striving to complete the local legislative procedures as soon as possible, and ensuring that the important elections taking place in the coming 12 months will be conducted in a smooth and orderly manner.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, March 11, 2021 is 101.4 (down 0.2 against yesterday's index).