The unanimous view came during discussions by Hong Kong and Macao NPC deputies following the keynote speech made by Premier Zhu Rongji at the opening of the current fourth session of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC) Monday morning. Nearly 3, 000 Ninth NPC deputies have started discussing the premier's report on the outline of a draft plan for economic and social development for the next five years.

Stable and healthy economic development, 10th Five-Year Plan and China's accession to the WTO -- all these are favorable factors for realizing complete reunification of the motherland, said Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai, president of the Legislative Council of HK SAR.

She compared economic development to a car on its way to reunification of the motherland. "If the car performs excellently and runs very fast, it will reach the destination faster," she said.

Lee Shing Chun, president of the Macao Daily, said that China's economic development is important not only to the complete reunification of the motherland, but also to world peace and development.

The rapid economic development on the mainland has benefited Hong Kong and Macao greatly, he noted. Hong Kong and Macao can do well only when the motherland is doing well.

The attainment of the goals of the Tenth Five-Year Plan will present more business opportunities to Hong Kong and there would be more ways out for Hong Kong's capital,Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai added.

(People’s Daily 03/05/2001)