NPC chief urges Hong Kong to put economy above ‘street politics’

Zhang Dejiang warns city could be eclipsed by fast-rising Shenzhen

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Zhang Dejiang made his comments during a closed-door meeting with the Hong Kong delegation to the National People’s Congress on Monday. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 2:30pm, 6 Mar 2017Updated: 8:57am, 7 Mar 2017

The head of China’s top legislature has warned Hong Kong against challenging the bottom-line of national sovereignty or over-politicising issues, cautioning that the city’s economic prowess could be surpassed by neighbouring city Shenzhen in just two years.

National People’s Congress chairman Zhang Dejiang also urged Hong Kong to “seize opportunities” that Beijing has reserved for the city in the nation’s “fast-track development”, as countries around the world scramble for such favours.

At an annual closed-door meeting with Hong Kong deputies to the NPC in the capital on Monday, Zhang was cited as expressing hope that the city’s chief executive election on March 26 and transition from one administration to the next would be carried out “smoothly”.

The No 3 national leader reiterated that Beijing was “entitled to have a say” in the leadership race, and its requirements for the city’s leader were “higher than that for ministers”, according to two senior delegates, Maria Tam Wai-chu and Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai.

Zhang’s statements came a day after Premier Li Keqiang took the unprecedented step of publicly condemning independence advocacy in Hong Kong. He declared in his annual work report on Sunday that such efforts would “lead nowhere”.