HK Leavers Not Planning To Be Gone For Good: CY Leung

Former Chief Executive CY Leung said on Sunday that Hongkongers who have left the city haven't emigrated, as they haven't relinquished their Hong Kong SAR passports or ID cards.

Speaking on a Commercial Radio programme, Leung said the authorities could help to clear up misunderstandings such people may have about political developments in Hong Kong.

"They don't want to give up their Hong Kong identity, and this shows that they want to keep the option of returning one day," he argued, adding that those leaving have "relocated" to other countries but not migrated.

Leung said that so long as the SAR handles its political problems well, it can continue to flourish. He said the One Country, Two Systems principle is still working well 25 years after the handover, but that there have been issues with the concept of "Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong".

Leung, who is now a vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, gave the example of some former lawmakers having gone to the United States to ask for sanctions against Hong Kong officials.

He also said the SAR shouldn't overly rely on overseas services, as these could be unreliable. "Russians lost their rights of eating McDonald's burgers" after the country's attack on Ukraine, he said.

Leung said Hong Kong can use its unique advantages to help the motherland avoid "being strangled" by foreign countries, including through building on its strengths in finance and legal services.