Xia Baolong, director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) and Beijing's leading official on Hong Kong policy, held meetings in the capital with senior Hong Kong government figures to discuss alignment with China's 15th five-year national plan, according to the South China Morning Post.
The talks included Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, and the newly appointed Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs. The meetings come as Hong Kong's government prepares to finalize its own inaugural development blueprint before the end of the year.
Coordinating policy with the mainland
The discussions reflect Beijing's effort to ensure Hong Kong's planning priorities align closely with broader national economic and development goals. China's five-year plans set out the central government's key policy directions, and Hong Kong has historically operated with a degree of autonomy from that framework.
The preparation of Hong Kong's own inaugural blueprint signals a shift toward more structured, long-term governance planning in the city. Officials are expected to present the document before the year's end, with the meetings in Beijing suggesting the process is entering a key coordination phase.
Senior representation from Hong Kong
The inclusion of both the chief secretary and financial secretary in the Beijing talks indicates the breadth of policy areas under discussion, spanning administrative governance and economic planning. The presence of the newly appointed constitutional affairs secretary also suggests that political and institutional dimensions of the city's development are part of the agenda.
Xia Baolong has played a central role in overseeing Hong Kong affairs since taking the HKMAO directorship, and his direct engagement with Hong Kong's top officials has become a regular feature of policy coordination between the city and the central government.
No specific outcomes or agreements from the meetings were immediately disclosed, according to the South China Morning Post's report based on a statement from the HKMAO.
