Premier's Report Omits 'HK People Ruling The SAR'

Premier Li Keqiang has omitted the phrase "Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong" in his work report presented to the opening of the National People's Congress meeting in Beijing on Monday – in a conspicuous change from past practice.

Li only said the central government will continue to implement the One Country, Two Systems principle.

He also said Beijing would boost cooperation with Hong Kong and help integrate the city’s development with that of the mainland. The premier also said Beijing will act in strict compliance with the country's constitution and Hong Kong's Basic Law.

Earlier, the nation’s top advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), left out the phrase “upholding the One Country, Two systems principle” in its annual work plan published on Saturday.

Summing up the central government's work over the past five years, the premier said that One Country, Two Systems has been "enriched".

"Over the past five years, fresh progress has been made in work related to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. The practice "One Country, Two Systems" has been consistently enriched and developed," he said.

Outgoing National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) member Rita Fan urged people not to make too much out of the premier’s omission of the "Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong" phrase.

“From time to time, maybe one phrase is missing and then it causes a lot of discussion in Hong Kong about why that phrase was missing, whether there’s any change in the central authorities in their policy towards Hong Kong”, Fan said.

“I think, let’s get beyond that stage because One Country, Two Systems is here to stay.”

Premier Li also didn't mention the notion of Hong Kong independence this year, after denouncing it in last year's report.

But a Hong Kong deputy to the NPC, Michael Tien, said he believes it is because calls for independence are a thing of the past.

"Everybody knows it's not a genuine issue. It has the support of very, very few people in Hong Kong. In fact, within the wider Hong Kong community, nobody even talks about it anymore," he said.

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