Sing Tao Daily:

China is facing complex and volatile situations both at home and abroad. The plenary session demonstrates that China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development. What is the basis of this critical judgment? How is it different from "the important period of strategic opportunity" often referred to since the 16th CPC National Congress (in 2002)? What does the 14th Five-Year Plan mean to Hong Kong? What opportunities will it give to Hong Kong's development? Thank you.

Xu Lin: 

Mr. Han Wenxiu will answer the questions.

Han Wenxiu:

When making decisions and formulating plans, the CPC has always placed emphasis on assessing the environment for development, especially the opportunities and challenges. In 2002, the 16th CPC National Congress pointed out that the first 20 years of the 21st century is an important period of strategic opportunity that we must seize and in which much can be achieved. In the past two decades, we have achieved remarkable historic progress in advancing reform, opening-up, and development. Twenty years on, the proposals for formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan make a new important judgment: at present and for the foreseeable future, China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development, but there are new developments and changes in both opportunities and challenges.

This period has two distinct features:

First, both the opportunities and challenges are unprecedented. Internationally, the world is undergoing substantial changes unseen in a century; the factors related to instability and uncertainty are noticeably rising in the external environment; the unexpected COVID-19 has made a wide and far-reaching impact; economic globalization is facing undertows and headwinds, and the world is entering a period of turbulence and change. Domestically, the principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved and is now battling challenges regarding inadequate and unbalanced development and people's ever-growing needs for a better life. With China's per capita GDP exceeding $10,000, the country is at a critical moment, moving from a middle-income country into a high-income country. We are about to finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. We will also build on this achievement to embark on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. The tasks that lie ahead are arduous. There are many new opportunities and challenges as well as big opportunities and challenges.

Second, there are opportunities in crises, and crises can be turned into opportunities. This important period of strategic opportunity has taken on a new dimension, so we need to look at opportunities and challenges in a dialectic way and have a keen sense of both the opportunities and the risks. We must be able to set sail and navigate through the headwinds, turning crises into real opportunities. COVID-19 had a huge impact on China's economic and social development. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its  core, we have taken strong, orderly, effective measures to coordinate epidemic control alongside economic and social development. China was among the first to bring COVID-19 under control, reopen, and register positive economic growth. This has put us in a better position for development. From this, it is abundantly clear that out of crises can emerge opportunities. Once we overcome crises, we will come out of the other end with bright prospects.

Looking toward the 14th Five-Year Plan period, we have confidence and determination. The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics gives us notable strengths, including a solid material and technological foundation built through more than 40 years of reform and opening-up, rich human resources, a broad market, as well as full-fledged industrial system and supporting capabilities. In particular, we have the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. With all of this, we can seize new opportunities, tackle emerging challenges, implement the new development philosophy, continue to follow the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, manage our own affairs well, find opportunities amid crises, and open up new prospects amid changes, to write a new chapter of the "two miracles" of rapid economic development and long-term social stability.

Hong Kong ranks as the world's freest economy. Its economy enjoys a sound foundation and unique strengths such as a large pool of high-caliber talents and extensive links with the global economy. In the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the central government  will continue to support Hong Kong in solidifying and strengthening its competitive edge, building an international technological innovation center, and establishing a functional platform for the Belt and Road Initiative. We will promote the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and improve policy measures to make it more convenient for people of Hong Kong and Macao study, work, and live on the mainland. We will support Hong Kong and Macao in conducting exchange and cooperation with other countries and regions. We are confident that with the full and faithful implementation of the principle of the "one country, two systems" and with closer ties between Hong Kong and Macao and the mainland and by helping the two regions better integrate into the country's overall development, Hong Kong and Macao will certainly enjoy long-term prosperity and stability. Thank you.

Xu Lin:

Thank you to all five speakers and friends from the media. That concludes this press conference. Thank you.

Translated and edited by Zhu Bochen, Li Huiru, Guo Yiming, Wang Wei, Liu Sitong, Fan Junmei, Zhang Jiaqi, Huang Shan, Liu Qiang, Wang Yanfang, Wang Yiming, Zhang Junmian, Gong Yingchun, Zhou Jing, Xu Xiaoxuan, Yuan Fang, Duan Yaying, Li Xiao, Wang Qian, Zhang Liying, Yang Xi, David Ball, Geoffrey Murry, and Tom Arnstein. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.

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