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Following is the speech (English translation) by the Chief Executive, Mr C Y Leung, delivered at the National Day reception in celebration of the 63rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre this morning (October 1):
Distinguished guests and friends,
Welcome to this reception to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
In the past year China has made encouraging advancement and progress on all fronts. For that we offer our heartiest congratulations to the Motherland. At the same time, we must realise it is inevitable and essential for Hong Kong to develop alongside the Mainland. We must embrace every opportunity that the development of our country brings to Hong Kong.
Economic and social ties between Hong Kong and the Mainland have been very close even before the opening up of China and its reform. These ties have grown closer and stronger in the past 30 years as our country continues to open up and as a result of globalisation and regionalisation. It is a fact that Hong Kong has mutual development with neighbouring areas both within and outside of the country.
In the first eight months of 2012, the average daily number of Hong Kong residents passing through the land boundary control points to and from Shenzhen reached 370,000. Most of them work, visit relatives, or do business in the Pearl River Delta region, and some have moved to and settled in the Mainland. There are many Hong Kong residents who live in Shenzhen and travel back to Kong Hong to work every day. These are all Hong Kong residents' usual activities in the Mainland. The daily number of cross-boundary land trips made by Hong Kong residents is 2.5 times of those made by Mainland residents.
Shenzhen and other cities in the Pearl River Delta region are our hinterland and major economic partners. Hong Kong business associations in the Mainland estimate there are hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong people working in the Mainland on a long term basis.
With further expansion of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), progressive implementation of CEPA provisions, as well as the liberalisation of trade in services between Guangdong and Hong Kong in 2014, Hong Kong people, including our young university graduates, professionals and technicians, will enjoy better career opportunities in Guangdong. This will expedite the growth of our external economy and better prepare us for meeting challenges arising from globalisation and economic downturn in Europe.
After more than 30 years of hard work, Hong Kong has established an unprecedentedly large external economy in Guangdong. It has contributed to the fostering of Guangdong's development. More importantly, it has sustained Hong Kong's economic growth and created employment for Hong Kong people. These are all facts that we must realise.
The HKSAR Government cares about people's livelihood. At the same time, Hong Kong must achieve higher and sustainable economic growth rate in order to address various long-standing problems including housing, poverty, an ageing population and pollution.
I proposed in my election manifesto to set up an Economic Development Commission and a Financial Services Development Council. The relevant preparatory work is near completion. The main objective of setting up these two new bodies is to help Hong Kong seize the tremendous opportunities arising from the Mainland's development and the support given to us by the Mainland. Coupled with an appropriately proactive government, they will add momentum to the diversified development of our local and external economies.
In addition, the Fourth Term HKSAR Government will formulate a series of initiatives to better understand and support Hong Kong residents working in the Mainland. We will also address new issues which arise as Hong Kong continues to develop alongside the Mainland, including the capacity problem of Hong Kong, in order to sustain the constructive synergy between the two places to achieve a win-win situation. I and the HKSAR Government are very grateful to the Central Government and local authorities in the Mainland for their unwavering support and co-operation in promoting the mutual development of Hong Kong and the Mainland.
Now, please join me in a toast: To the prosperity and success of our country, to a better Hong Kong. Cheers!
Ends/Monday, October 1, 2012
Issued at HKT 11:18
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