Last week, Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam reiterated her four proposed actions and stressed the withdrawal of the controversial fugitive bill. Besides the withdrawal of the bill, she also appointed new members to a body handling complaints against the police; promised direct dialogue with communities and initiated a review by academics to examine Hong Kong's social problems

CGTN senior correspondent Tian Wei spoke to Martin Jacques about the Hong Kong chaos on the sideline of the China Development Forum in Beijing, September 7. Jacques is a senior fellow at the Department of Politics and International Studies at Cambridge University, and also the author of the book "When China Rules the World." He shared his views on the latest proposals given by Carrie Lam and proposed the ways of Hong Kong students' linkages to Chinese mainland.

Mr. Jacques said Carrie Lam's statement is very much welcome and very necessary. "The question is what effect would it have on these hardline young demonstrators that have been rampaging around Hong Kong."

He also stressed the importance of dialogue between administration and demonstrators. "The other aspect to it is the call for reconciliation and discussions and dialogue. Now, I think that dialogue is crucial. And this is a great test of the administration. Can they do it? Do they know how to do this? These things are very difficult to do. So you got to find ways of persuading people who have been really totally opposed to you to engage in this dialogue," he added.

"So what needs to be encouraged [are] the linkages between the young Hong Kong people and what is happening in Shenzhen… Give them the pathway of opportunity which they can see [the] Chinese [mainland] in a different way." He emphasized that the key is for people in Hong Kong to see the Chinese Mainland as a place of economic opportunity.

Under the current situation, the increasing economic exchanges between mainland and Hong Kong also promotes linkages between mainland and Hong Kong. Based on data from Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the non-financial direct investment of mainland, Hong Kong’s largest trading partner, in the city reached up to 70.05 billion U.S. dollars last year.

“The future of the Hong Kong economy has always been actually about [the] Chinese [Mainland]. Now even more so," Mr. Jacques concluded.

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