Editorial | Innovation and bold ideas are keys to Hong Kong’s economic revival
Inspection tour of Greater Bay Area by director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office ahead of Paul Chan’s budget is both symbolic and practical
Exchanges between mainland and Hong Kong officials have increasingly become the norm rather than the exception as the city strives for closer integration and cooperation under the national development framework.
But the weekend discussion sessions led by a top mainland official remain significant in that they underline Beijing’s deep concerns about the city, including the slow pace of growth and a ballooning budget deficit.
The authorities must take bold and concrete measures to weather the economic storm and expedite longer-term development.
The inspection of the special economic zones by Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, is as symbolic as it is practical.
With the government’s annual budget due to be tabled in two weeks, there is clearly much to look forward to.
During a four-hour session in Qianhai, Xia was briefed by Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po and seven top officials on the city’s economic and development plans.
The meeting has set the stage for Chan to press ahead with measures to tackle the deficit and advance the economy. Earlier, Xia also inspected the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.
