Hong Kong should focus on developing hi-tech industries that meet the country's needs, while stepping up efforts to attract global talent and strengthening collaboration with top universities to become an innovation and technology (I&T) hub, a Beijing official has said.
Hou Jianguo, president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, also said at a high-level seminar in Hong Kong on Tuesday that the city's Northern Metropolis megaproject had a "bright future".
Zhou Ji, Beijing's top representative in the city, told the event at government headquarters that the international community was optimistic about Hong Kong's prospects and had "cast a vote of confidence in its future".
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The seminar was organised by the Hong Kong government to promote the spirit of the fourth plenum of the Communist Party's Central Committee, which set the tone for Beijing's policymaking over the next five years.
Hou said: "The country has long attached great importance to Hong Kong's economy and social development."
Highlighting Beijing's calls for the city to become an international I&T hub, he identified three areas that the city should concentrate on to achieve its goal.
"The city should focus on developing cutting-edge technology that answers the country's needs, such as artificial intelligence, life science, new energy and new materials ... and collaborate with Guangdong province in turning the research results into productivity," he said.
Hou pointed to the Northern Metropolis scheme as a significant part of the local administration's efforts to build the city into a tech hub, saying its future was "undoubtedly bright". The project aims to turn 30,000 hectares (74,132 acres) of land near the border with mainland China into a new economic and housing hub.
He also called on Hong Kong to step up efforts to attract global tech talent and strengthen collaboration with world-class science and technology institutions and universities.
Addressing the seminar before Hou, Zhu Weidong, deputy director of the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs, said Beijing's policy support for Hong Kong would be "stronger and broader in scope" as he urged the city to align its development with the country's latest five-year plan.
That support would include maintaining the city's unique status and advantages, consolidating its position as an international financial, shipping and trade centre, upholding a free, open and regulated business environment, and expanding smooth and convenient international connections.
"When the country prospers, Hong Kong will surely prosper; when Hong Kong prospers, the country will prosper even more," he said.
Hou and Zhu visited the Northern Metropolis area on Monday afternoon accompanied by Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po. They checked out progress at the Kwu Tung North New Development Area before visiting the Hong Kong park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone.
Among those attending Tuesday's seminar were Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and representatives from various sectors.
Central government liaison office director Zhou said that the international community had confidence in Hong Kong.
"The international community is widely optimistic about Hong Kong's development and future prospects. They have cast a vote of confidence in the city's future with real investment," Zhou said, noting that Hong Kong had been named in global rankings as the largest initial public offering market and the freest economy.
Such achievements were attained through the full and proper implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle, and with the central government's committed support, he noted.
"This was also achieved through the efforts led by Chief Executive John Lee and his governance team, who united and guided various sectors of society and the public to work hard and make it happen," he said.
Zhou added that now was the ideal time for the city to "boost the economy, push for development and construction, and improve people's livelihoods" since it had "filled the gaps in national security by enacting relevant laws and fully implementing the principle of 'patriots administering Hong Kong'".
He said last month's plenum, which outlined strategic plans for the nation's future development, provided clear guidance for Hong Kong's economic and social development.
The city should play to the strengths of the one country, two systems principle and exploit its advantages in connecting the country and the world to achieve greater development, he urged.
Zhou also called on residents to actively take part in the Legislative Council election on December 7, the second held under the "patriots-only" overhaul.
In his closing speech at the seminar, Hong Kong leader Lee said he would heed Beijing's call to align the city with the latest five-year plan, pledging to comprehensively promote the development of "a dual engine of financial innovation and technology".
"The city will also engage in broader and closer exchanges and cooperation with other parts of the world, and actively serve the overall national development strategy," he added.
At the fourth plenum, Beijing reaffirmed that it would adhere to the principles of one country, two systems and "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong".
It also pledged to support the city's deeper integration into national development, enhance its law-based governance, and support its goal of becoming a hub for high-end talent.
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