Andrew Leung: Over 60 research activities conducted in current term of LegCo

Zheng Yanxiong, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), visited the Legislative Council (LegCo) at noon today (June 28) to have a luncheon with LegCo Members.

Before the luncheon, Zheng and the President of the LegCo, Andrew Leung, delivered speeches respectively. Leung reviewed the internal and external exchanges and interactions with the Government since the establishment of the current term of the LegCo and welcomed the establishment of regular exchanges between the Liaison Office and Members of the LegCo.

Leung said that after improving the construction of district governance, the LegCo had conducted in-depth exchanges with District Council members of the Central and Western District and the Tai Po District on issues relating to education and people's livelihood.

"In the future, the Council will strengthen exchanges with other districts in Hong Kong, and will proactively advise the Government and offer suggestions to enhance people's sense of well-being."

In terms of local visits, the LegCo has conducted more than 60 research activities covering various aspects.

Leung emphasized that Hong Kong's greatest strengths are its backing of the Motherland and global connectivity and that Members have made friends in the Mainland and overseas to enhance Hong Kong's momentum of development.

Leung thanked the Liaison Office for providing support to the LegCo's numerous visits to the Mainland, which have enabled Members to gain a better understanding of the Mainland's development in more than a dozen areas, such as innovation and technology, new energy, logistics, healthcare, elderly care and urban planning.

"In terms of overseas visits, Members of the current LegCo are committed to telling Hong Kong's story well," Leung added.

Regarding ASEAN, the world's largest free trade zone, Leung led seven members of the Parliamentary Liaison Subcommittee on a duty visit to Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore last month, and looked forward to Hong Kong's accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) as soon as possible.

In the face of the continuous voices of the Western international community downplaying Hong Kong, Leung said that under the century-long changes in the world, both the country and Hong Kong have to break new ground and make a new leap forward, and Hong Kong is facing upgrading and restructuring, "Pain leads to change, and change leads to success."

Finally, Leung said that the LegCo would do its utmost to support the SAR Government in consolidating the positive forces for building Hong Kong, and to maintain Hong Kong's unique status and advantages by remaining unperturbed by changes and adapting to changes at will. He also welcomed the annual visit of the Director of the Liaison Office to the LegCo to establish regular exchanges and cooperation, and to jointly promote the development of Hong Kong from governance to prosperity.