Beijing pledges support for Hong Kong in 'One Belt, One Road' regional economic development strategy
Nation's 13th five-year plan outlines role for city in development scheme while implementing the principle of 'one country, two systems'
Beijing has pledged support for Hong Kong to take part in the nation's "One Belt, One Road" development strategy and to play a bigger role in China's opening up to the world, according to its 13th five-year-plan.
The city is also asked to speed up cooperation with free-trade pilot zones in Guangdong - Qianhai in Shenzhen, Hengqin in Zhuhai, and Nansha in Guangzhou - and pursue deeper cooperation and exchanges with the mainland.
The document, released yesterday, also stresses implementing in a comprehensive and accurate manner the principles of "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong", and "a high degree of autonomy".
The wording contrasted with that in the 12th five-year plan document, released in 2010, which stressed the Communist Party would firmly implement those principles.
But it seemed to echo remarks by Premier Li Keqiang in his last two work reports, in which he highlighted implementing the Basic Law in a comprehensive manner.
The document - expected to be submitted to the National People's Congress for ratification in March - contains a 400-plus-character part on deepening cooperation between mainland China and Hong Kong and Macau, as well as between the mainland and Taiwan.
It said it would "give full play to Hong Kong's unique advantages and enhance [the two places'] role and function in the nation's economic development as well as opening up to the outside world".