CPPCC lawmakers rush back for policy address
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
Several Legislative Council members who also serve as members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference returned to Hong Kong overnight after attending a national studies seminar in Beidaihe, so they could be present for the release of Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and the 2026 Policy Address on September 16. Their decision came after the Hong Kong government scheduled both major policy announcements for the same day as the mainland programme
Key Points
- Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and the 2026 Policy Address were scheduled for September 16, with lawmakers expected to attend the address and the following day’s question-and-answer session
- Several serving legislators, estimated at about five or six, had earlier enrolled in a CPPCC seminar held from September 14 to 18 at the CPPCC Cadre Training Centre in Beidaihe, Hebei
- The seminar topic covered studying Xi Jinping Thought and a major speech marking the 105th anniversary of the Communist Party of China, with participants under closed-loop management at the training centre
- After classes ended on September 15, the participants reportedly travelled from Hebei to Beijing by car or high-speed rail to catch a Hong Kong-bound flight departing after 3am
- Executive Council member and CPPCC Standing Committee member Liao Cheung-kong (廖長江) was expected to face a tighter schedule because the Executive Council reviews the report earlier than the Legislative Council session
Why It Matters
Although Legislative Council rules treat attendance at CPPCC and central government activities as a valid reason for absence, empty seats during the Chief Executive’s annual address and the simultaneous release of a five-year plan would have carried political costs. The episode also underlines the dual responsibilities of some Hong Kong politicians, who are expected both to follow mainland political study arrangements and to perform their local legislative duties on major policy occasions