Listen To And Understand The Youth: Han Zheng

Vice Premier Han Zheng on Wednesday urged deputies from Hong Kong to listen to and understand young people to build stronger ties with them, according to some of those who attended the meeting.

In the closed-door meeting that lasted about an hour and a half, Han reportedly shared his own experience of understanding his daughter – through songs she listens and books she reads – as an example of how the deputies should “make friends” with local youngsters.

NPC deputy Ma Fung-kwok said Han put a strong emphasis on how Beijing wants young people in Hong Kong to benefit from the Greater Bay Area plan.

Ma added that the vice-premier also hoped Hong Kong would become a major innovation and technology hub under the initiative.

Another NPC deputy, former constitutional and mainland affairs secretary Raymond Tam, said the state leader called on the deputies to offer strong support to the Chief Executive and the SAR government.

Michael Tien, meanwhile, quoted the vice premier as saying Beijing wanted to make it clear that Hong Kong independence could not be tolerated when it asked Chief Executive Carrie Lam to submit a report on the banning of the Hong Kong National Party last month.

Tien said the central government simply wanted to support the SAR administration and make its stance clear by asking for a report on the ban.