TWO SESSIONS See news updates on www.chinadaily.com.cn SPECIAL COVERAGE, PAGES 4­7 CHINADAILY THURSDAY, March 14, 2019 www.chinadailyhk.com HK $8

HK’s majority CPPCC concludes weighty session opinion backs

Economic, social concerns take center amendment to stage in National Committee proposals extradition law

By ZHANG YI [email protected] Agenda By KATHY ZHANG in Hong Kong [email protected] More than 2,100 national political Thursday advisers wrapped up their annual All day: National legislators hold Two­thirds of the people involved meeting on Wednesday in Beijing panel discussions on the final draft in a public consultation with the with more attention devoted to the versions of all reports and the for­ Security Bureau support a revision country’s economic and social issues. eign investment law, which are to of Hong Kong’s extradition law, Sec­ President Xi Jinping and other be voted on at the closing meeting retary for Security John Lee Ka­chiu leaders attended the closing meeting of the second session of the 13th revealed on Wednesday. of the second session of the 13th NPC on Friday. The Security Bureau collected a National Committee of the Chinese total of 4,500 entries of views during People’s Political Consultative Con­ the public consultation over the ference in Beijing on Wednesday. issue from mid­February to March 4, Wang Yang, chairman of the 13th this year is highly appreciated given explained Lee. More than 3,000 sup­ CPPCC National Committee, called the current economic challenges ported the city in plugging the loop­ on members to better serve as con­ from home and abroad. hole of its existing law. Some 1,400 sultants to the government, including At the closing meeting, Wang, the were against the revision, Lee said. legislative and judicial organs, to sup­ top political adviser, called on all Lee briefed the public consultation port the development of the country. CPPCC members to strengthen their results to the media. This comes after During the second session of the learning and education to improve the Security Bureau, in late January, 13th CPPCC National Committee, their capabilities in performing their proposed amending the city’s Fugi­ political advisers submitted 5,113 pro­ duty. tive Offenders Ordinance and Mutu­ posals, covering a wide range of top­ This year marks the 70th anniver­ al Legal Assistance in Criminal ics that included economics, politics, sary of the founding of the People’s Matters Ordinance. The change will culture, social development and envi­ Republic of China and the CPPCC, enable the city to transfer suspects to ronmental protection, officials said. he said, adding that socialism with or from the mainland, Macao and Among them, 3,859 were formally Chinese characteristics has entered Taiwan, which is currently not filed and will be forwarded to rele­ a new era and the CPPCC is shoul­ allowed according to the ordinances. vant authorities for handling. dering more responsibility. This year, economic issues and “All the members should remain social affairs drew more attention conscientious and hardworking, from the political advisers during the and bravely take responsibility,” he National political advisers leave the closing meeting of the second session of the 13th National Com­ The majority of two sessions, with 1,484 proposals said. “There are no honorary mem­ mittee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference at the Great Hall of the People in Bei­ and 1,336 proposals falling in the two bers, only responsible members.” jing on Wednesday. ZHU XINGXIN / CHINA DAILY people consulted categories respectively, officials said. Political adviser He Yun’ao, from believe the Some of the typical proposals on eco­ Jiangsu province, said this year’s Focus of proposals from national political advisers Unit: percent Number of nomic issues dealt with such matters as session was busy and substantial. proposals amendment is in the 38.46 2019 36.35 submitted preventing financial risks, supporting “I got up early and got to sleep late 34.62 2018 interest of justice.” the private economy, developing a to read more material so as to 32.58 high­quality manufacturing sector and improve my proposals,” he said. “The John Lee Ka-chiu, secretary for 5,113 shoring up market confidence. meeting was over, but Chairman security of the Hong Kong SAR Government Proposals on social issues included Wang has given us many assign­ (3,859 forwarded) 2019 promoting employment, bolstering ments. I will do more surveys and 9.85 9.07 9.08 7.98 6.89 7.57 The majority of people consulted vocational and preschool education study this year and bring better pro­ 4.57 and better caring for elderly people. posals next year.” 2.98 believe the amendment is in the Cao A’min, a CPPCC National 5,360 interest of justice, Lee said. Most of Committee member, said the focus Zhang Zhihao and Wang Kaihao Economy Politics Culture Society Ecology Others (4,438 forwarded) the city’s people do not want to see on the economy and employment contributed to this story. Source: CPPCC National Committee CHINA DAILY 2018 Hong Kong become a haven for crime suspects, he added. People also believe the revision will protect the city’s residents from possible security threats by crimi­ Greater Bay Area to bolster Guangxi nals, according to the public consul­ tation result. By ZHANG LI in Beijing The Bay Area, nectivity, industrial collaboration Some opposition to the plan main­ and SHI RUIPENG in Nanning home to 70 mil­ and personnel exchanges. ly came from reservations about the lion people at the Guangxi is benefiting from mainland’s judicial system, Lee said. The Guangxi Zhuang autono­ end of 2017, had major advances in transporta­ The special administrative region mous region will pick up strong a combined GDP tion integration. With the open­ government’s proposal to amend the momentum to spur high­quality of about $1.5 tril­ ing of Guangzhou­Shenzhen­ two ordinances was prompted by a development from opportunities lion at that time, Hong Kong Express Rail Link, it murder case in Taiwan last year. The found through integrating with surpassing Aus­ Lu Xinshe now takes 4.5 hours to travel by Taiwan authorities were unable to the neighboring Greater Bay tralia’s GDP, train from Nanning, Guangxi’s prosecute a Hong Kong man sus­ Area, the thriving engine for according to the World Bank. capital, to Hong Kong, and cargo pected of killing his pregnant girl­ regional growth, said Lu Xinshe, As a neighbor, Guangxi already ships make the trip between friend in Taiwan, as the man fled the region’s Party secretary. benefited in 2018, attracting 338 Qinzhou in Guangxi and Hong back to Hong Kong. “Integration into the Greater billion yuan ($50.4 billion) in Kong on a daily basis. Lee reiterated that this case had Bay Area will facilitate Guangxi’s investment from the area, Lu Still, access to the Greater Bay exposed the loophole of Hong Kong’s overall development and create said. That included adding many Area needs to be improved, Lu legal system. Yao Ming, the retired NBA star and chairman of the Chinese Basket­ mutual benefits for the regions,” companies, primarily from the said. The proposal triggered concern ball Association, tosses a jump ball in a children’s game at the start Lu said. electronic information, textile “We must accelerate the con­ from the city’s political and business of a basketball promotion in Beijing in 2017. JU HUANZONG / XINHUA The overall plan of the Guang­ and clothing industries. struction of high­speed railways, sectors as some fear the revised law dong­Hong Kong­Macao Greater Lu said it’s time to promote rap­ expressways and ports to form a might be misused to extradite politi­ Bay Area, issued last month, aims id integration with the Greater Bay multidimensional transportation cal offenders and create uncertainty to develop the city cluster into a Area to build further momentum. system linking Guangxi with the — which would affect Hong Kong’s Yao seeks to strengthen thriving global center of technol­ The Guangxi government has Greater Bay Area,” he said. business environment. ogy and innovation and an eco­ mapped out the integration plan, Lee stressed that all aspects of nomic hub. with a focus on transportation con­ See Guangxi, page 4 existing law which protect people sports in primary grades from being extradited due to political reasons or unintentional conduct By SUN XIAOCHEN room study cannot. will continue to apply. [email protected] “Sports participation, as part of SINGLES PRESENT WEALTH OF Section 5(1) of the Fugitive Offend­ all­around education, should be giv­ ers Ordinance stipulates that a per­ Basketball legend Yao Ming has en a more prominent role on cam­ son shall not be handed over or always voiced his support for physi­ pus, whereas now academic ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES committed to or kept in custody if his cal education during the two ses­ excellence seems to be the main pri­ ◆ or her offense is of a political nature. sions. ority in our country,” Yao told China Moreover, any request for a person to This year is no exception. Utilizing Daily on Sunday in Beijing during Retail, service providers look to promising market be handed over to another jurisdic­ his position as a member of the Chi­ the annual session of the country’s tion for the purpose of prosecuting or nese People’s Political Consultative top political advisory body. By CHEN YINGQUN products on the market that can punishing him or her on account of Conference’s National Committee, “Building organized and accessi­ [email protected] improve quality of life and make his or her race, religion, nationality Yao called for more cross­departmen­ ble sports competitions with tailor­ things more convenient for single or political opinions would also be tal cooperation and better coaching made programs and adequate he growing number of people,” she said. denied. to further expand a school basketball facilities is the key to involving as Chinese choosing to There were 215 million single Lee also reassured the business program launched last year. many students as possible,” said Yao, remain single may worry people in China at the end of 2017, sector that the changes won’t affect The program is meant not just who is chairman of the Chinese Bas­ many of their parents, but consultant in Shanghai, said she accounting for about 16 percent of the city’s business environment. to deepen the sport’s talent pool ketball Association. Tthe phenomenon has created has bought many products in the population, according to the There is no need for business people but, more importantly, to teach ample opportunities for retail and recent years that have been cus­ National Bureau of Statistics. Mar­ to worry about being extradited if students life lessons that class­ See Youth, page 4 service providers. tomized for singles, including a riage registrations have fallen they unintentionally violated the law Many of them now target singles rice cooker, an oven, a refrigerator every year since 2014, while the on the mainland, he added. — who often have sizable disposa­ and a washing machine. divorce rate has risen for 16 con­ “Politics should not override jus­ © 2019 China Daily All Rights Reserved Vol. 23 — No. 6820 ble incomes as a result of fewer “These products come in small­ secutive years, according to the tice,” Lee stressed, adding that the family commitments — with prod­ er sizes than usual, which are per­ Ministry of Civil Affairs. SAR government will discuss the A member of the ucts that suit their lifestyles. fect for people who live alone like issue with Taiwan in order to reach Asia News Network Chen Xi, 29, a fashion industry me. I’m glad there seem to be more See Singles, page page 2 2 an agreement.