The National 11th Five-Year Plan reflects the central government's policy to promote Hong Kong's long-term stability and prosperity, a central government official said Tuesday.

Speaking at a seminar attended by 170 Hong Kong civil servants, National Development & Reform Commission Department of Development Planning Deputy Director General Xu Lin said the plan shows that under the Basic Law and the "one country, two systems" principle, the planning and arrangement of socio-economic development in Hong Kong should be formulated by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government.

"By capitalizing its advantage and potential, and through enhancing its competitiveness, Hong Kong could certainly thrive for a better future," he said.

Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Stephen Lam said given the growing ties with the mainland and impact of the 11th Five-Year Plan, particularly on Hong Kong's infrastructural planning, the SAR Government should enhance its understanding of the plan to get fully prepared to cope with the mainland's development.

He said under the plan, support will be given to Hong Kong's development on fronts such as financial services, logistics, tourism and information services, and to maintain Hong Kong's status as an international hub on financial services, trade and shipping.

"This shows that development of the mainland and Hong Kong is closely related as well as complementary. The principle of one country, two systems is fully illustrated by the fact that the 11th Five-Year Plan does not include concrete and detailed planning on Hong Kong," Lam said.

Nevertheless, development in various regions has also led to increasingly keen competition in the market. Colleagues of the SAR government need to strengthen understanding of the plan, Lam added.

To enhance coordination on cooperation with the mainland, the Constitutional Affairs Bureau is working on forming a mainland affairs liaison office.

(Xinhua News Agency March 29, 2006)