【明報專訊】AT THE OPENING CEREMONY of the National Security Education Day, Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, delivered a speech on video from Beijing, proposing for the first time the "five needs" for Hong Kong as it advances from stability to prosperity.
On last year's National Security Education Day, Xia attended the opening ceremony in person and delivered a speech. He mentioned ''six beliefs'' and emphasised a lot on safeguarding national security. Back then, Xia specifically said, ''While Hong Kong society seems to be peaceful now, there are indeed undercurrents. The roots of instability have yet to be eliminated, and the foundation of stability still needs to be consolidated. We need to stay vigilant at all time against the resurgence of street violence, the soft resistance wreaking havoc in secret and the backflow of overseas activities aiming to disrupt Hong Kong.'' This year, the focus of Xia's speech is obviously different from last year. Most of his speech is about what needs to be done when Hong Kong advances from stability to prosperity.
Xia mentioned that with the completion of Article 23 legislation and the full implementation of patriots running Hong Kong, Hong Kong ''has bid farewell to instability and finally ushered in the best time for striving for economic growth and development''. Later on, he mentioned ''five needs'' for Hong Kong's advance from stability to prosperity. Apart from the first point, which is ''remaining steadfast to the bottom line of national security'', all the other four points focus on how to seek development. Xia no longer mentioned ''soft resistance'' or ''staying vigilant against overseas activities to disrupt Hong Kong''. This does not mean the central government believes that Hong Kong has put all its national security issues to bed. However, the latest speech does show that the central government thinks that Hong Kong has entered a new era, and it is time to turn over a new leaf in history and begin a new chapter of glory for Hong Kong.
In February this year, Xia came to Hong Kong on a tour of inspection. Back then, the SAR government stated that the focus of his visit was to understand the progress made by the SAR government and all sectors of society in promoting Hong Kong's advance from stability to prosperity, including the results and plans. Xia's latest long speech is the first since the conclusion of his tour of inspection. He talks about the ''five needs'' for Hong Kong's advance from stability to prosperity. To a certain extent, it can be regarded as a summary after the tour of inspection as well as the most detailed discussion on what needs to be done for Hong Kong to advance from stability to prosperity.
Among Xia's ''five needs'', it can be said that ''remaining steadfast to national security'' is the foundation, and ''making full use of One Country, Two Systems to ensure Hong Kong's prosperity and stability'' is the general principle. The remaining three needs, i.e., ''consolidating Hong Kong's unique status and advantages'', ''better integrating into the overall development of the country to explore business opportunities'', and ''proactively adapting to new situations and new challenges'' designate the path for Hong Kong to take to advance from stability to prosperity. There are many specific contents, and what runs through them is seeking change and innovation.
Yesterday (15 April), Xia clearly stated that Hong Kong needs to ''remodel, update, transform and upgrade" itself, and all parties need to ''work together'' and employ new thinking and methods to solve problems. It should constantly push itself and innovate boldly. Xia is undoubtedly spot on about the urgent needs of Hong Kong.
明報社評2024.04.16：由治及興「五點需要」 關鍵在於求變創新
「全民國家安全教育日」開幕典禮，中央港澳辦主任夏寶龍在北京視像致辭，首度提出香港由治及興「五點需要」。
去年的全民國家安全教育日，夏寶龍親身出席開幕典禮及致辭，提到「六個相信」，在維護國家安全方面着墨甚多，當時夏寶龍特別提到，「現在香港社會看似平靜，實則暗流湧動，亂的根源尚未根除，治的基礎尚需鞏固。大家需要時刻警惕街頭暴力捲土重來、警惕軟對抗暗中作亂、警惕海外亂港活動倒灌香港」。今次夏寶龍的講話，側重點跟去年有明顯不同，大部分篇幅都是談香港由治及興需要怎麼辦的問題。
夏寶龍提到，隨着《基本法》23條立法完成、愛國者治港全面落實，香港「告別了動盪不安的局面，終於迎來了全力拼經濟、謀發展的最好時期」，之後提到的由治及興「五點需要」，除了第一點「守牢國家安全底線」，其餘4點都是圍繞如何謀發展。夏寶龍未有再提「軟對抗」、「警惕海外亂港活動」，當然不代表中央認為香港國安高枕無憂，但最新講話無疑反映，中央認為香港進入新時期，是時候掀開歷史新一頁、書寫香港新輝煌。
今年2月，夏寶龍來港調研考察，當時特區政府表示，夏寶龍此行重點，是要了解特區政府及各界在各方面推動香港由治及興的進程，包括成果和計劃。今次是夏寶龍結束調研考察後，首次發表長篇講話，由治及興「五點需要」，某程度可視為調研後得出的總結，同時也是歷來對於香港由治及興需要怎麼做的一次最詳細論述。
夏寶龍「五點需要」中，若說守牢國家安全底線是基礎、充分發揮一國兩制保障香港繁榮穩定作用是總則；其餘3點，即鞏固香港獨特地位和優勢、更好融入國家發展大局開拓商機，以及主動適應新形勢新挑戰，則是指明了由治及興的進路，當中不乏具體內容，而貫穿其中的，就是求變創新。
夏寶龍昨天明確指出，香港要「迭代更新、轉型升級」，各方需要「團結一致」，多用新思維新辦法解決問題，不斷突破自我，大膽創新，無疑道出了香港眼前迫切所需。
■/ Glossary 生字 /
in person : if you do something in person, you go somewhere and do it yourself, instead of doing it by letter, asking somebody else to do it, etc.
usher in : to be the beginning of something new or to make something new begin
put something to bed : to successfully deal with something or solve a problem