Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Friday urged Hong Kong’s business community to take tangible steps to foster the city’s high-quality economic growth and reinforce its unique strengths.

In a meeting with Hong Kong business leaders in Shenzhen, Xia led discussions on the city’s future development.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and Zheng Yanxiong, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, also participated in the meeting.

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Describing the city’s business community as the “main force” driving Hong Kong’s development, Xia encouraged the business tycoons to have a profound understanding of their responsibilities and urged them to take practical actions to advance both local and national development.

While calling for the business leaders to shoulder greater responsibilities in driving high-quality economic growth, Xia appealed to them to adapt to evolving development trends in Hong Kong.

As Hong Kong has transitioned toward a new era to prosperity, Xia said, now is the opportune moment for robust economic development and called on all sectors to have faith in the city’s future.

He reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to Hong Kong’s advancement, promising ongoing support from the central government to maximize the city’s unique strengths and its role in advancing the nation’s modernization.

During the meeting, Lee emphasized that the SAR government will unify and lead all sectors of Hong Kong society in actively pursuing reform and progress. Together, these sectors will collaborate to enhance Hong Kong’s development momentum and chart new paths for the city’s advancement, he said.

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Xinhua News Agency reported that the business leaders pledged to uphold the traditions of patriotism with affection for the nation and the SAR. They expressed their active support for the SAR government, promising to work together to drive economic growth, foster development, and improve people’s livelihoods.

Participants included real estate magnates, including Raymond Kwok Ping-luen, chairman and managing director of Sun Hung Kai Properties; Peter Lee Ka-kit, co-chairman and managing director of Henderson Land Development; and Eric Ma Siu-cheung, CEO of New World Development.

Also present were Richard Li Tzar-kai, founder and chairman of Pacific Century Group; Jonathan Choi Koon-shum, chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong; and Pui Kwan-kay, president of the Hong Kong Chinese Importers’ and Exporters’ Association.

They discussed topics such as supporting national reforms and enhancing the nation’s openness, as well as their plans and roles in the process.

Xia has met with representatives from Hong Kong’s business community several times this year. In February, during his visit to Hong Kong, he met with business representatives at the government headquarters.

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In October, he also separately met in Beijing with senior executives of Jardine Matheson Holdings, a Hong Kong-based British multinational conglomerate, and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp Ltd.

In September, during his meeting with Lee in Beijing, Xia had expressed his desire for all sectors of Hong Kong society, particularly the business community and entrepreneurs, to actively contribute to the development of Hong Kong through concrete action.

Contact the writer at amberwu@chinadailyhk.com