Dubbed “chief accelerator”, Xi Jinping gave an order in Shenzhen a month ago to accelerate the integration of the Greater Bay Area. The Policy Address about to be delivered was halted and put off for a month. As expected, it was an administration blueprint for the integration of Hong Kong into the Greater Bay Area at full tilt, and probably an “epochal” Policy Address to put a full stop to the high degree of autonomy in Hong Kong. Illustrating the vision with a delicate touch, Carrie Lam ranked number one again.

It was reported that some pro-establishment figures received a gentle reminder from the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government(LOCPG) that they had to stand as a mark of respect when Carrie Lam entered the chamber, and be in support of the content of the address at large. They had never received messages like this, which has suggested the great importance Beijing attached to it. Just as anticipated, there were glowing compliments from the pro-establishment camp. No sooner had Carrie Lam finished delivering the Policy Address than various disciplined services announced statements supportive of it. Different organizations also showed support for it. What’s more, even big businesses like CLP, Cathay Pacific and MTR, and university presidents declared their stand in support of it. Interestingly, a poll by Hong Jong Public Opinion Research Institute showed 64% of the citizens were discontent with the Policy Address and the average score of 27.2 reached record low. If the government and the LOCPG had not brought their clout into play, the wonder wouldn’t have come into sight.

The functionaries on Hong Kong and Macau affairs on the stretch have shown that they were highly involved in the project, which was actually an important assignment they had to report on to Xi Jinping. In other words, that was a mission to implement the remarks in Shenzhen and report at the fifth plenary session made by Xi Jinping, an acceleration of the integration of Hong Kong into the mainland and promotion of the unification of the Greater Bay Area. So, the key of the Policy Address was to echo this theme. That’s why the three terms “the Central Government”, “mainland” and “the Greater Bay Area” were heard 140 times in the Address, which also recommended subsidies to Hong Kong youngsters going to work in the Greater Bay Area(it was reported the maximum subvention of HKD18,000 monthly per head is available), buying in shares of Zhuhai Airport, which used to be debt-ridden. All of this was inconceivable in the past.

This Beijing version of Hong Kong Policy Address was highly likely a touchstone of Beijing putting away the high degree of autonomy in Hong Kong and replacing it with the division of party and government on the mainland, in which unless provincial, municipal and autonomous regions’ affairs involve significant matters such as transfer of personnel at provincial Party Committees or Standing Committees that the Central Government can exercise its veto over, the Secretary of Party Committee or Standing Committee Member of the Party Committee make decisions which are carried out by mayors. The Hong Kong Policy Address this time was exactly a manifestation of such a decision-making manner: the functionaries on Hong Kong and Macau affairs made the decisions; Carrie Lam and the Hong Kong government executed them!

With regard to whether it is done once in a while or incorporated into the system of Hong Kong, it is yet subject to observation. However, as the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China next year is crucial to the perpetual continuance of Xi in power while the integration of the Greater Bay Area is what he aims at capitalizing on, the functionaries on Hong Kong and Macau affairs should not take lightly the integration of Hong Kong into the mainland, so are bound to intensify the intervention in Hong Kong affairs. Besides, power is the opium of politicians. Having been capitulated to by Hong Kong, how is it possible for them to quit? But the shortcomings of such a decision-making mechanism are even worse than that of the mainland because the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, having no backer and personal network in the Chinese Communist Party, has his/her political power way weaker than provincial and municipal governors. As such, Hong Kong would convey to the Central Government and the Greater Bay Area benefits, rather than strive for it!

(Poon Siu To, veteran journalist)

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