HONG KONG – President Xi Jinping yesterday congratulated John Lee Ka-Chiu on his appointment as Hong Kong’s next chief executive, saying he believes the incoming administration will bring a good atmosphere to the special administrative region (SAR)
The top-level meeting in Beijing came just a few hours after Lee received his official appointment letter from Premier Li Keqiang.
Xi told Lee that the central government has trust in him, hailing him for his love for the nation and Hong Kong, his willingness to shoulder responsibility, and his contribution to safeguarding national security and maintaining the SAR’s stability.
Xi also reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, adding he hopes that the new government under Lee will usher in a new chapter for Hong Kong.
“Despite experiencing many challenges in the past 25 years, ‘One Country, Two Systems’ in Hong Kong has achieved universally recognised success. The central government’s determination in comprehensively and accurately implementing the principle has never wavered, and will never change,” Xi said.
“With the joint efforts of the central government, the SAR administration, and all sectors of society, Hong Kong has returned from chaos to stability. Now we are at a critical period on moving towards prosperity, I believe the new administration’s governance will certainly bring a good atmosphere, and write a new chapter for the city’s development.”
Xi also said that it has been proved that Hong Kong’s new electoral system played a decisive role in implementing the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong,” ensuring the position of Hong Kong people as their own masters, and facilitating a good environment in which all sectors of society work together for Hong Kong’s development.
“This is a political and democratic system that is in line with the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle and suited to Hong Kong’s realities and needs for development,” Xi said, adding that “it must be cherished and upheld for a long time to come.”
Xi also said that “the central authorities’ resolve to fully and faithfully implement the principle of ‘One Country, Two Systems’ has never wavered, still less will it change,” he said.
Thanks to the concerted efforts of the central government, the HKSAR government and the whole society, Hong Kong has achieved a major transition from chaos to order and is now at a crucial stage of advancing to prosperity, Xi noted.
Lee thanked the central government for its trust, and said it was an honour of a lifetime.
– RTHK, Xinhua, MPD
President Xi Jinping (right) meets with John Lee Ka-chiu, the newly appointed sixth-term chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), in Beijing yesterday. – Xinhua
