Prof Cheng Meidong of Peking University's School of Marxism delivered a lecture on the "Chinese Path to Modernisation under the New Era" at the Civil Service College today.

The lecture is part of the “one country, two systems" and the contemporary China programme organised by the college in collaboration with the university's Institute for Hong Kong & Macau Studies.

Addressing the lecture, Civil Service College Head Oscar Kwok stressed that the features of Hong Kong that are unique to the Chinese context as noted by President Xi Jinping in the report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, are indeed the "one country, two systems" principle the city enjoys. 

It is due to the "two systems" principle that Hong Kong holds distinctive advantages over other cities in the country, enjoying the strong support of the motherland and maintaining close connections with the world, Mr Kwok said.

“Therefore, as civil servants of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, they must proactively support the country's international exchanges and co-operation, and foster cultural exchanges in their respective roles.” 

He added that civil servants should actively assist in Hong Kong's integration into the overall national development and dovetail with national strategies, including the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt & Road Initiative, noting that by doing so, Hong Kong can contribute significantly to the modernisation of the country on all fronts.

Around 70 participants attended the programme, while about 80 politically appointed officials and other directorate officers joined the lecture via video conferencing.