Overseas Chinese, others mark event in Brussels, Washington and elsewhere

As Saturday's 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland approached, Chinese embassies overseas were busy celebrating the event.

On Thursday night in Brussels, a group of 150 European officials, diplomats and overseas Chinese joined in an anniversary event to praise the progress of the special administrative region in the past two decades.

The Chinese Mission to the European Union and China's embassy in Belgium joined with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels to organize the celebration.

Yang Yanyi, China's ambassador to the EU, said that Hong Kong's return to China was a historic event, and the "one country, two systems" principle has ensured the major accomplishments the SAR has seen.

"Under the principle, Hong Kong people have administered Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy that has been successfully implemented over the past 20 years," Yang said at the celebration.

She said Hong Kong has remained one of the most competitive and dynamic international financial trade and shipping centers of the world and has contributed uniquely to reform and opening-up and the modernization of the Chinese mainland.

It has been fully proved that "one country, two systems" is the best institutional arrangement for the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, she said.

In the United States, Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai also applauded the great success of Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong's accomplishments are outstanding," he told a crowd of several hundred people attending a celebration on Thursday at the Chinese embassy to mark the anniversary.

Cui said Hong Kong has seen sustained prosperity and stability, remained a global financial, trade and shipping center, and led the world in major indicators of social and economic development.

"Today, Hong Kong, the pearl of the East, is shining with ever brighter glory in the hands of the Chinese people," Cui said.

He said that history has also shown the unbreakable bond and shared future of Hong Kong and the rest of the Chinese nation.

"The past 20 years have witnessed a prosperous and stable Hong Kong, as well as a fast-developing China. Hong Kong supported the growth of the mainland, while the mainland drove Hong Kong's prosperity," Cui said.

He emphasized that Hong Kong and the mainland stood together when facing financial crises in 1997 and 2007 and the SARS epidemic in 2003, and they helped each other when struck by natural disasters. "Indeed, Hong Kong's interest is the interest of the motherland, and when the motherland grows, Hong Kong will prosper," Cui said.

The Chinese embassy in Washington also marked the 20th anniversary with a photo exhibition.

Contact the writers at fujing@chinadaily.com.cn

(HK Edition 07/01/2017 page4)