PUBLISHED : Sunday, 09 November, 2014, 2:08pm
UPDATED :Monday, 09 November, 2014, 6:06am
Photos: Xinhua, SCMP
However, Leung once more stressed the need for the city - which has been gripped by ongoing Occupy Central pro-democracy protests and mired in a political deadlock over election reform - to restore law and order, which are "crucial" for the development of the financial market.
Xi told Leung he “fully affirms and supports” the efforts of the Hong Kong chief executive and the city government to "govern in line with law, especially their great deal of work to safeguard the authority of rule of law and maintain social order", according to Xinhua.
The rule of law is a key foundation for Hong Kong’s long-term stability and prosperity, Xi said.
The through train scheme would directly link Hong Kong's stock exchange with the one in Shanghai, allowing investors to conduct cross-border share trading up to a quota of 550 billion yuan (HK$700 billion).
“The relevant departments will soon announce the official kick-off date for the [implementation of the through train],” Leung told the press in Beijing.
“But at the same time, I would want to reiterate … that the social order and the rule of law are critical for the development of financial market. I hope different sectors in the society could cooperate.”
The scheme’s launch date was originally believed to be October 27, but failed to materialise, to the disappointment of markets.
Top Hong Kong officials, including Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah, had spent three days earlier this month lobbying the central government authorities to approve the "through train" scheme, but at the time only received a positive but vague response.
An
Occupy protester holds a flashlight in Mong Kok. CY Leung said the city
would on its own resolve the political crisis, but refused to say if
there were clearances planned. Photo: Felix Wong"Hong Kong is ready anytime. We are waiting," Tsang had said, adding that authorities in Shanghai and Hong Kong had done a lot of preparation and solved all the technical problems.
The State Council is responsible for reviewing the preparatory work for the through-train, involving joint efforts from different ministry-level authorities, including the foreign-exchange regulator and the administration of taxation, before it gives the go-ahead.
READ MORE: 'There is no point in talks with Beijing', ex-Hong Kong chief executive Tung Chee-hwa tells students
Leung on Sunday did not respond directly to questions on whether the delay was related to the Occupy movement, but said the sit-in had made impacts on the city’s "cornerstone" rule of law.However, he expressed confidence in restoring law and order through the city’s own capability, implying that the People’s Liberation Army would not be deployed to respond to the protest movement as some have speculated. The protests have now entered their second month.
According to state news agency Xinhua, President Xi Jinping stressed to Leung that the central government was committed to the “one country, two systems” principle and the Basic Law. It firmly supports Hong Kong in developing democracy in line with law, and endeavours to maintain the region’s long-term stability and prosperity, Xi was quoted as saying.
"The central government expects all circles in Hong Kong can, with the leadership of Leung and the HKSAR government, seize the historic opportunity to realise universal suffrage according to law and keep a stable, peaceful social environment for the citizens, thus together writing a new chapter in Hong Kong’s democratic development," he said, according to Xinhua.
Asked if there would be a police operation in the near future to dismantle the protest camps (barricaded enclaves in Admiralty, Mong Kok and Causeway Bay), Leung said: “We cannot make public any police operation. Any road clearance operation on the police force as the result of the Occupy Central campaign … would not be announced beforehand."
On political reform, Leung repeated his administration's stance, saying Beijing fully supported the city in implementing universal suffrage for the chief executive election in 2017 - in accordance with the framework set by Basic Law and the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress’ decision.
While the Federation of Students – one of the organisers of the pro-democracy sit-in – had expressed its wish to meet central government leaders on the matter, Leung said Beijing officials understood the views of different sectors and had already explained why public nomination – one of the students’ demands – would violate the Basic Law.
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