CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Wednesday, March 31, 2021 | 3 TOP NEWS Welcoming gift ASEAN Cooperation FMs’ visit to bolster of Asia sought relations, friendship to boost BRI By ZHOU JIN [email protected]
Boao Forum event in Hainan expected Four foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast to discuss reshaping of global growth Asian Nations member countries will visit China from Wednesday By CHEN JIA reviving and reshaping confidence to Friday in a bid to deepen anti [email protected] in growth and jointly controlling the pandemic cooperation and joint pandemic, Li said at the news con ly build the Belt and Road with With COVID19 controlled domes ference. high quality. tically, China is planning the largest The world has been subject lately The ministers are Singapore’s onsite international forum of the to increasing regional disputes and Vivian Balakrishnan, Hisham year to date in midApril. The forum blocked flows of production factors. muddin Hussein from Malaysia, is expected to call for cooperation But crossborder cooperation Indonesia’s Retno Marsudi and among Asian countries and the under the Belt and Road Initiative Teodoro Locsin from the Philip reshaping of global growth in the has promoted economic recovery in pines. postpandemic era. Asia and adjacent regions, which Foreign Ministry spokes The annual conference of the Boao has presented an “Asian perspec woman Hua Chunying said at a Forum for Asia is set for April 18 to 21 tive” on improving global govern Tibetan students present hada — a white scarf representing purity and honesty — to welcome post daily news conference that Chi in Boao, Hainan province. The theme ance, Li said. graduates from Hubei University who are taking part in an education aid program in Lhokha, Tibet na hopes to strengthen commu of the conference is “A World in The conference will include a spe autonomous region, on Monday. ZHANG RUFENG / XINHUA nication on regional and Change: Join Hands to Strengthen cial section called “Explore China”, international situations with Global Governance and Advance which will focus on the country’s members from the ASEAN Belt and Road Cooperation”, organiz development trends and its impact members through their visits. ers said at a news conference on on recovery of the world economy. According to Hua, State Coun Tuesday. The timing is good because 2021 China, Arab states upgrade digital collaboration cilor and Foreign Minister Wang This year also marks the 20th marks the opening of China’s 14th Yi has set foot on almost all coun anniversary of the forum. April’s FiveYear Plan (202125). Another tries in Southeast Asia, while event is expected to have around session, “BRI Cooperation”, will By ZHANG YUNBI and Arab countries became the first mon call of the international com many foreign ministers and key 2,000 participants, and will be held share the experience of the Belt and [email protected] part of the world to produce the munity to maintain network and cabinet members from South thanks to the effective prevention Road Initiative and look for oppor joint release of a data security initi data security and helps to fix loop east Asian countries have also and control of the COVID19 pan tunities to optimize global govern China and the League of Arab ative with China, Foreign Ministry holes in international rules, the visited China. demic by the host country. ance, Li said. States have upgraded their collabo spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Arab League added. “The visit of the four ministers According to Li Baodong, secre Other discussion topics will ration against rising cyberspace on Tuesday. The initiative drew expansive once again demonstrates the tarygeneral of the BFA, two of Chi include the dualcirculation develop risks and challenges by signing and Unanimous support for this ini support from Arab states before profound friendship between na’s State leaders will attend the ment paradigm, financial opening releasing their landmark proposal, tiative among Arab states “ade and during State Councilor and For China and its neighboring coun conference, with one addressing the up, carbon neutrality, aging societies, Initiative on ChinaArab Data Secu quately illustrates that this eign Minister Wang Yi’s sixnation tries in Southeast Asia through opening ceremony online. The other COVID19 vaccines and the digital rity Cooperation. initiative echoes the times’ trends Middle East trip from March 24 to closer interactions,” she said. leader will participate onsite in a economy. Forum organizers expect The document, meant to keep and lives up to the common aspira Tuesday. Southeast Asia is also one of series of events, including a symposi participants to jointly address the data and production chains afloat tion of international community”, Wang said the initiative’s signing the first destinations of Wang’s um for entrepreneurs from China challenges of technological progress, in the digital economy era, was she said. “sent out a unanimous voice on the overseas visits this year, which and the United States. industry transformation and socie inked at a videoconference on Ma Zhaoxu, the viceforeign issue of digital economy govern took him to Myanmar, Indone Many other state leaders from for tal management in the postpan Monday held by ViceForeign Min minister, said the initiative’s sign ance”. sia, Brunei and the Philippines in eign countries, former politicians, demic era. ister Ma Zhaoxu and Assistant Sec ing and joint release on Monday At a meeting on Monday with his January. heads of international organizations “Facing the complex international retaryGeneral of the League of “marks a new level” of ChinaArab Omani counterpart, Sayyid Badr Southeast Asian countries are and a large number of guests from environment, only by practicing Arab States Hossam Zaki. digital cooperation as well as “a Hamad alBusaidi, Wang called for China’s friendly neighbors con politics, business and academia, are multilateralism with a developmen Officials said the latest data secu new phase” in the digital sectors’ joint efforts from the two nations to nected by land and sea, as well expected to join the conference tal perspective and strengthening rity policy brainchild builds on the strategic mutual trust and prag translate the data security initiative as important partners of the online or onsite. global governance can we effectively two sides’ increasing collaboration matic cooperation. into reality and help “boost the say of Belt and Road Initiative, Hua One of the key topics of the forum respond to global challenges and in cuttingedge technologies such This proposal serves as “a developing countries” in formulat said. this year is to promote the consensus ensure that all countries share the as 5G and artificial intelligence and shared, key contribution of China ing the rules governing the global China always attaches great of Asian countries and the world on fruits of development,” Li added. teamwork regarding internet secu and Arab states to global digital digital economy. importance to its relationship rity responses in recent years. governance”, as it advocates for bal The Omani foreign minister said with Southeast Asian countries, Data security collaboration is ancing security and development, Oman has opened all its sectors to and always takes those countries Technology meets faith highlighted at a time the oilrich upholding equity and justice, Ma China and welcomes Chinese as a priority of its neighboring region’s internet infrastructure has said. investment in industries including diplomacy, she said. fallen victim to rampant cyber In recent years, governments of tourism, energy, science and tech Since the outbreak of the pan attacks in recent years. Arab countries have rolled out con nology and information technology. demic, China and Southeast Meanwhile, Chinese firms’ grow secutive visions and measures to cre Omani Minister of the Royal Asian countries have also main ing involvement in the region’s digital ate a secure digital environment, Office Sultan bin Mohammed tained close highlevel commu economy is contributing to its recov incorporating data security as a pillar alNuamani told Wang in a sepa nication and have made positive ery amid the COVID19 pandemic. of their national security strategies. rate meeting that his country is progress in antipandemic coop In 2018, China, Egypt, Saudi Ara ready to bolster collaboration with eration, she added. bia and the United Arab Emirates Urgent need China in areas including informa Chinese vaccines have already became founding members of “The At the conference on Monday, tion technology. been shipped to the four coun Belt and Road” Digital Economy the Arab League underlined the Similarly, Jordanian Deputy tries to help in combating the International Cooperation Initia need for various countries to devel Prime Minister and Minister of virus. tive, which focuses on promoting op uniform international rules, Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi told This year marks the 30th anni the digital economy. jointly respond to cybersecurity Wang in a phone call on March 13 versary of the dialogue relations Also, in September, China issued threats, maintain the security of that Jordan stands ready to between China and ASEAN. its Global Initiative on Data Securi data and supply chains and create strengthen cooperation with China Last year, the bloc surpassed ty as a Chinese solution to major favorable circumstances for in areas such as data security and the European Union to become issues concerning data and cyber smooth operation of societies and counterterrorism. China’s biggest trade partner, security. economies. Chinese ecommerce portals are with their bilateral trade vol A technician prepares to clean up a reproduction of a Buddha head The ChinaArab initiative signed The ChinaArab initiative is in accessible to around 80 percent of ume exceeding $684.6 billion. made of sand with a 3D printer at a technology company in Lanzhou, on Monday “injects global digital line with the consensus reached at internet users in all the six Gulf China has been ASEAN’s largest Gansu province, on Monday. GAO ZHAN / CHINA NEWS SERVICE governance with the wisdom and the United Nations in the field of region countries, People’s Daily trade partner for 12 consecutive strength of developing countries”, internet security, reflects the com said on Tuesday. years.
Deng said, adding that Hong Kong more firmly established, and the var Bills: Hong Kong’s governance efficacy will be enhanced will continue to have a diversified ious deeprooted conflicts and prob and tolerant political culture. lems that have long plagued Hong In a statement released on Tues Kong more effectively resolved. From page 1 He said the HKSAR will amend and all parties of Hong Kong society, Committee and the Legislative day, the Hong Kong and Macao Zhang Yong, deputy head of the relevant local laws in accordance it added. Council, changing the nature and Affairs Office of the State Council Legislative Affairs Commission of China’s top legislator, Li Zhanshu, with the Basic Law in a timely man Deng Zhonghua, deputy director positioning of the district councils and announced its firm support for the the NPC Standing Committee, said said the passing of the NPC deci ner, promptly implement matters of the Hong Kong and Macao exerting excessive influence on the changes, saying they mend the loop the amendments have farreach sion on improving the electoral sys related to improving the HKSAR Affairs Office of the State Council, overall politics. They have even holes and deficiencies of the current ing significance. tem of the HKSAR earlier this electoral system, and organize and said the ratio of the Legislative become important platforms for some electoral system. They ensure that patriotic forces month and the two amended regulate relevant election activities Council members was decided after people to engage in antiChina activi steadily and overwhelmingly pre annexes fully demonstrate the res according to the law. consulting with various sectors of ties, and therefore their political func Administration by patriots vail in the Election Committee and olution and common will of the With the implementation of the Hong Kong society. tions must be weakened, he added. It is a fundamental political princi the Legislative Council and anti Chinese people, including Hong improved electoral system and the The design is based on considera As for the vetting committee, Deng ple, naturally and universally recog China disrupters have no access to Kong compatriots, in safeguarding principle of “patriots administering tions that the Election Committee said it is to ensure that candidates nized, that political power should be the organs of power under any cir national sovereignty, security and Hong Kong”, the central govern elected members represent the meet general eligibility require held by patriots. Only in this way can cumstances, Zhang said. development interests, as well as ment’s overall jurisdiction over the interests of the entire Hong Kong soci ments, such as age, nationality and the fundamental “one country, two They also help enhance local gov the constitutional order of the SAR. HKSAR will be effectively imple ety, whereas other members mainly criminal record, as well as the statu systems” purpose be implemented ernance efficacy by resolving the A democratic electoral system mented, Li noted. represent the interests of sectors and tory requirements of paying alle and the political risks staged by exter longstanding confrontation between suiting Hong Kong’s legal status and This will also markedly enhance local constituencies, Deng said. giance to Basic Law and the SAR so nal forces and their political agents the Legislative Council and executive reality has taken shape as a result of the governance efficacy of the Therefore, the design enables the Leg as to fully implement the principle of be eliminated, the statement said. authorities, disputes within the Legis the amendments, said Li, chairman HKSAR and effectively address the islative Council to better represent “patriots administering Hong Kong”. This is also the only way that can lative Council and stagnated demo of the NPC Standing Committee, various deepseated problems of Hong Kong as a whole, he added. He stressed that the purpose is to help Hong Kong shake off endless cratic development, laying the while presiding over the closing Hong Kong, he added. Deng also said that the removal of exclude antiChina disrupters from political strife and growing radical foundation for the ultimate goal of meeting of the session. The Foreign Ministry said in a state the district council seats was made continuing to sit openly in the Legisla forces and focus on economic devel universal suffrage, he added. These new constitutional arrange ment that the adoption reflects the because their practice in recent years tive Council chamber and engage in opment, so as to genuinely promote ments are of great significance in common aspirations of the Chinese has seriously deviated from the duty rebellious activities against the coun the wellbeing of the general public, Xinhua contributed to this story. upholding the constitutional order people, and the move is to develop, in stipulated by the Basic Law, which is try, but it doesn’t mean that the oppo it said. in the HKSAR as established by the a gradual and orderly manner, a dem to be consulted by the SAR govern sition camp or dissent will be crushed. Hong Kong is now embarking on a Constitution and the Basic Law, and ocratic system that is in line with the ment on district administration and As long as those who want to par new phase of development, the ensuring that the principle of “one constitutional order of Hong Kong. other affairs, and the district coun ticipate in the election meet the cri statement said. People will see the country, two systems” remains It will better ensure extensive and cils are not organs of political power. teria of patriots, get enough rights and freedoms enjoyed by unchanged, is unwaveringly upheld, balanced political participation of Such deviation was caused by a nominations and are approved by Hong Kong people better protected, and is not bent or distorted in prac Hong Kong residents and serve the large proportion of these councilors the vetting committee, they can be the city’s status as an international Online tice in Hong Kong, Li added. interests of all social strata, all sectors occupying seats of the Election candidates or eventually elected, financial, trade and shipping center See more by scanning the codes.