Hong Kong Coalition vows to facilitate HK's integration into national development

HONG KONG, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Coalition, founded a year ago to "get Hong Kong start again," on Monday pledged continued efforts to push for the further integration of the financial hub into the development of the country.

The coalition, founded by over 1,500 initiators from various sectors of the Hong Kong society, is aimed at uniting the community, upholding "one country, two systems," and working for a stable and prosperous Hong Kong.

Tung Chee-hwa and Leung Chun-ying, both vice chairmen of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chief conveners of the coalition, attended a press conference marking its first anniversary on Monday.

Tung said the coalition, founded at a time of raging COVID-19, a declining economy and social instability in Hong Kong, has witnessed significant changes over the past year.

The good time for Hong Kong is coming as the country is becoming better, he said, stressing that the coalition will continue to push Hong Kong's integration into the national development.

Also speaking at the event, Leung said Hong Kong has restored order thanks to the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong and the improvement to the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

With new opportunities and competition ahead for Hong Kong, the coalition will actively facilitate Hong Kong's cooperation with the mainland provinces to tap into the development opportunities offered by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Leung said.

He stressed that to "get Hong Kong start again" is a goal that must be delivered, rather than an empty slogan.

Elaborating on the coalition's work agenda for its second year, Tam Yiu-chung, a member of the National People's Congress Standing Committee and secretary-general of the coalition, said efforts will be made to enhance the public's understanding of "one country, two systems," push for Hong Kong's integration into the national development, improve the youth education, and more effectively tell the stories of Hong Kong.

The coalition will also work to absorb more representatives, Tam said.

During its first year, the coalition has carried out work in multiple areas, including the fight against COVID-19, economy and people's well-being, youth employment and education on the rule of the law, according to Tam.

When Hong Kong was facing a shortage of face masks at the onset of the pandemic last year, the coalition distributed over 10 million face masks to residents and schools, besides other anti-pandemic supplies, Tam said.

The coalition has also managed to gather about 3,000 job vacancies for graduates. It also helped promote the school education of the HKSAR Basic Law and the national security law in Hong Kong, as well as helped promote a positive image of Hong Kong on the internet, Tam added.