An expo, "Together‧ Progress‧Opportunity - Exhibition in Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong to the Motherland", opened in the National Museum of China in Beijing yesterday. General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), State President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) Xi Jinping, and Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli visited the exhibition. Keenly interested in the content of the exhibition, they stopped from time to time to have a careful look, listen to narratives and ask some questions, fully affirming and highly appreciating the practice of "one country two systems" in Hong Kong and Hong Kong's progresses in various aspects in last two decades since its return to the Motherland.
Surely, similar exhibitions are held from time to time and relevant leaders would also visit. However, it is rarely seen that all seven members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of CPC including General Secretary Xi Jinping visit an exhibition on one and the same day. This only happened to exhibitions of major historic events such as the Exhibition Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of Victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression two years ago.
Apart from showing their full affirmation of the historical retrospection and 20-year journey after Hong Kong's return to the Motherland, more importantly, the joint presence of the seven members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC, at such a significant moment as marking the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the Motherland, was to reiterate the Central Government's constant policy principles toward Hong Kong and set some new and more specific requirements and expectations for the SAR's current situation and future development.
As a matter of fact, the most significant message delivered by the joint presence of the seven members of the Standing Committee of the CPC's Political Bureau and General Secretary Xi Jinping's upcoming three-day inspection tour in Hong Kong on June 29 to July 1 is the "three unswerving supports", namely, the Central Government will as always unswervingly implement the "one country two systems" principle, unswervingly support the Hong Kong SAR Government's administration in accordance with the law, and unswervingly support the mutually complementary and beneficial cooperation and exchange between Hong Kong and the Mainland.
In his speech at a meeting with Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying and Chief Executive-elect Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor before the opening of the exhibition, Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), pointed out: Hong Kong SAR Government and all social sectors should take the opportunity of marking the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the Motherland to constantly uphold the "one country two systems" principle and the Basic Law, keep to the original aspiration, forge a consensus and seize opportunities to forge ahead so as to create a better future for Hong Kong and make new contributions to the Chinese dream for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Leaders of the Central Government affirm that the practice of "one country two systems" in Hong Kong has achieved an enormous success and pledge it will be unswervingly and unalterably carried on in such an unambiguous way that all doubt and denial of "one country two systems" can go to hell.
Receiving such important message from the Central Government, Hong Kong people at the moment of celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the Motherland should more consciously deepen their understanding of, and step up efforts to implement, the "one country two systems" principle and the Central Government's constitutional status and overall jurisdiction, and seize opportunities to develop the economy and improve people's livelihood, so as to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the Motherland with real actions and not let down the Central Government's support and encouragement. As pointed out by General Secretary Xi Jinping after his visit to the exhibition yesterday: [we must] continue to unswervingly, comprehensively and accurately implement the "one country two systems" principle, handle affairs strictly following the Constitution and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR and further promote the development of various undertakings in Hong Kong. It is hoped that vast majority of Hong Kong compatriots will join the whole nation as one to break new ground and innovate, seize opportunities opened by the nation's development, advance the practice of "one country two systems" in Hong Kong, and strive to maintain Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability, to create a more beautiful future for Hong Kong and to achieve the goals for the "two centennials" and make the Chinese dream for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation come true.
27 June 2017
