Hu vows to remain committed to 'one country, two systems'

HONG KONG - President Hu Jintao said Sunday the central government will remain committed to the principles of "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy.

The central government will unswervingly give its full support to the chief executive and government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in administering Hong Kong pursuant to law, while working with the local residents to maintain and promote the long-term prosperity and stability of the territory, Hu said at the inaugural ceremony of the fourth-term government of the HKSAR, led by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.

Hu, on his third visit to Hong Kong, arrived here Friday for the 15th anniversary marking the city's return to China and the swearing-in ceremony.

Over the past 15 years, Hong Kong has achieved remarkable progress despite setbacks from a crippling regional financial crisis, deadly epidemics and a global financial crisis. Hong Kong residents now enjoy the range of democratic rights and freedoms that they had never done before, Hu said.

All this "proves that the 'one country, two systems' is the best solution to the Hong Kong question left over from history and the best institutional arrangement for the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong after its return to the motherland," he said.

Hu tagged advancing the cause of "one country, two systems" as the shared mission of the central government and the government of the HKSAR, which he said serves the interests and aspirations of Hong Kong compatriots and the fundamental interests of the country and the people.

The fundamental goal of all the policies and major measures that the central government announced for Hong Kong is to safeguard the state sovereignty, security, development interests and to ensure Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability, Hu said.

"We must stay committed to keeping a balance between adhering to the 'one country' principle and respecting the differences of the 'two systems', between upholding the authority of the central government and ensuring a high degree of autonomy of the HKSAR, between safeguarding the overall national interests and protecting the interests of various social sectors of Hong Kong, and between supporting Hong Kong in actively conducting exchanges with the outside world and opposing interference by external forces in Hong Kong affairs," Hu added.