Hong Kong media revealed that the Special Administrative Region has handed down a new memo recently to policy-making departments, requiring them to consider and evaluate the potential influence of new policies on Chinese mainland residents.

After a series of policies that have enormously impacted the interests of mainlanders such as the "zero birth" ban on mainland pregnant women seeking to give birth in Hong Kong and the strict restriction on formula milk exports, the Hong Kong government has started to draw lessons as the policies have driven a wedge between Hong Kong and the mainland.

The adjustment of the Hong Kong government, compared with its previous tough postures, is a positive signal that it has realized the significance of the mainland market. Without the support of the mainland, Hong Kong will struggle to sustain a promising development in the future.

It seems to be a good lesson that the Hong Kong government is trying to draw. A balanced policy and more publicity efforts might have made a difference.

There are still concerns that this "universal coverage" of both Hong Kong and mainland interests is a "betrayal" of Hong Kong residents. This is groundless but also a misunderstanding and mistrust of the basic state policy - one country, two systems.

Since the return of Hong Kong in 1997, 16 years have witnessed a dramatically energetic development of the Hong Kong-mainland relationship. True, it has brought about a growing number of frictions and conflicts. The latest incident about restrictions of formula milk export, though starting as an approach to guarantee a sufficient supply of formula for Hong Kong babies, has undoubtedly backfired.

There are many cases where some politicians from the pan-democracy cam have tried to magnify and overstate existing problems, which are inevitable because of the significant distinctions between the two. But it should be kept in mind that in the 16 years since Hong Kong returned, the central government's persistence in the state policy and the principle of "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" has never wavered.

Dramatizing and twisting the current relationship will not help close the gap between the two. An administrative regulation is far from being able to be raised up as an irreconcilable oppression of State policy. The new regulation is not aimed to shift the interest orientation from Hong Kong to the mainland, but to strike a balance in order to achieve the best interests of both sides.

Rather than trying to evoke disruptions, it is much reasonable for Hong Kong to outstretch its arms to the enormous mainland market.