HONG KONG: President Xi Jinping on Friday stressed the need to fully and faithfully implement the “one country, two systems” policy.
Xi made the remarks at the meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Upholding national sovereignty, security and development interests is the paramount principle in the policy. On the basis of this prerequisite, Hong Kong and Macao maintain their capitalist system over the long run and enjoy a high degree of autonomy, he noted.
Xi also inspected the Hong Kong Garrison of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), ordering the troops to raise its capabilities in performing duties and contribute more to the enduring success of “one country, two systems” in Hong Kong.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), came to the Central Barracks on Friday morning, and met with representatives of the army officers and soldiers.
Over the past 25 years since Hong Kong returned to the motherland, the Hong Kong Garrison has steadfastly carried out decisions and instructions of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC and fulfilled defense-centered tasks under the guidance of “one country, two systems” principle as well as the Basic Law of the HKSAR and the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Garrisoning the HKSAR, Xi said.
Particularly in recent years, the garrison, while facing a complicated and evolving situation in Hong Kong, has played an important role in Hong Kong’s transition from chaos to order by dutifully serving the CPC Central Committee’s work on Hong Kong affairs, he noted.
With Hong Kong now at a crucial stage of advancing to further prosperity, the Hong Kong Garrison must strengthen self-building in all respects and raise its capabilities in performing duties, so as to contribute more to safeguarding national security and Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability as well as the enduring success of “one country, two systems” in Hong Kong, Xi said.
Xi left Hong Kong by train Friday after attending celebrations for the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland.
At the West Kowloon high-speed rail station, people from all walks of life and children, waving flags and flowers and singing songs, bid farewell to the president. Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan waved back to the crowd. –Agencies
