Xia Baolong, head of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, conducted an inspection tour of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region last week, drawing widespread attention from the local community. He paid particular attention to the SAR’s progress in implementing the city’s development strategies under the national 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), especially the development of the Northern Metropolis.
What captured the public’s imagination most was his parting gesture: Xia gave a thumbs-up to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu as he left. Such an overt display of approval from a senior central government official is rare and immediately resonated across the city. The rationale behind this endorsement can be found in a phrase Xia repeated throughout his tour: “Hong Kong is fully on the move”. In previous meetings with SAR officials and business leaders, Xia frequently urged them to “take concrete actions”. This time, he was visibly pleased to see Hong Kong’s progress in meeting the central authorities’ expectations with tangible dynamism — a marked shift that warrants recognition.
During symposiums with locals, Xia expressed his satisfaction with the work of the chief executive and the SAR government on at least four occasions. He spoke highly of Hong Kong’s economic achievements over the past year, commending Lee and his administration for having the courage to implement reforms, break through bottlenecks, and drive continuous innovation over the past year.
In 2025, Hong Kong’s capital market witnessed a boom, with new listings on the local bourse occurring almost every three days. Total funds raised through initial public offerings reached HK$285.8 billion ($36.45 billion), propelling the city back to the top of the global IPO rankings. Concurrently, the property market stabilized, domestic consumption grew steadily, and the cultural and tourism sectors saw a gradual recovery. Most notably, despite the Sino-US trade frictions, the value of Hong Kong’s merchandise exports surged by 15.4 percent year-on-year, hitting a record high. The city’s economy expanded by a better-than-expected 3.5 percent last year, and first-quarter growth this year reached 5.9 percent — the strongest quarterly performance in five years.
These positive shifts are attributable to the unwavering support of the central authorities and the proactive governance of the SAR government. Over the past four years, the incumbent administration has successfully combined a proactive government with an efficient market, moving away from the traditional “big market, small government” paradigm to tackle long-standing structural problems. For instance, since taking office, Lee has overseen the enactment of local legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law, thereby fortifying the city’s legal safeguards for national security. Internally, the government has established several cross-departmental committees and task forces to streamline policymaking and enhance administrative efficiency. Externally, amid ongoing geopolitical headwinds, Lee has led delegations to Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia to diversify economic and trade partnerships, while continuing to consolidate traditional markets in the West.
The image of Xia giving a thumbs-up to the chief executive has invigorated Hong Kong society. It embodies the central authorities’ recognition of the SAR government’s proactive governance,… a sincere tribute to Hong Kong residents who support the administration in advancing the city’s development, and expectation for further progress and achievements
The thumbs-up also served as an endorsement of the accelerated development of the Northern Metropolis. Xia’s intense focus on this megaproject during his visit — when viewed alongside his previous inspection tours of Chinese mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin — highlights that the Northern Metropolis is an integral component of the broader Greater Bay Area strategy. Previously, Xia’s primary impression of the project’s progress was its sluggishness. However, the recent acceleration has clearly pleased Xia, who noted that the Northern Metropolis serves as a crucial new engine for Hong Kong’s growth and a core platform for aligning with the 15th Five-Year Plan and fostering new quality productive forces.
With his deep understanding of Hong Kong’s development trajectory, Xia believes the city’s top priority is to align with the national 15th Five-Year Plan by formulating its own first-ever five-year plan, with the rapid development of the Northern Metropolis at its core. The project’s comprehensive strategic planning — which balances livelihood improvements, technological innovation, and cross-boundary synergy — perfectly matches the SAR’s strategic positioning as designated by the central government, thus living up to both national expectations and public aspirations.
Furthermore, the thumbs-up reflects appreciation for the accountability, pragmatism, and coordination capabilities demonstrated by the SAR government’s principal officials. During his briefings with department secretaries and bureau directors, Xia observed a clear shift in their roles from mere policymakers to pragmatic implementers. It was evident that the governing team possesses a firm grasp of the realities on the ground. Xia commended the principal officials for their proactive planning and willingness to confront developmental bottlenecks head-on, noting that all relevant departments exhibited a clear, pragmatic understanding of the Northern Metropolis projects, showcasing exceptional professional governance.
The image of Xia giving a thumbs-up to the chief executive has invigorated Hong Kong society. It embodies the central authorities’ recognition of the SAR government’s proactive governance, the appreciation of the people on the Chinese mainland for Hong Kong’s ongoing contributions to the nation, a sincere tribute to Hong Kong residents who support the administration in advancing the city’s development, and expectation for further progress and achievements.
The author is vice-chairman of the Committee on Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and chairman of the Hong Kong New Era Development Thinktank.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.