President Xi Jinping meets with Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on June 30, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVT)
HONG KONG – President Xi Jinping met Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Thursday, saying the central authorities fully acknowledged her work during her five-year tenure as the chief executive.
President Xi meets HK Chief Executive Carrie Lam
Xi is in Hong Kong to attend events marking the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland.
With the firm support of the central authorities, Lam has faithfully fulfilled her constitutional responsibilities as the chief executive and unswervingly implemented the "one country, two systems" policy and the Basic Law of the HKSAR over the past five years, Xi said.
Lam has led the HKSAR government in exercising law-based governance and united people from all walks of life to end violence and chaos and restore order in Hong Kong, fight COVID-19 and integrate into national development, Xi said.
Lam has made arduous efforts and vital contributions to safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, maintaining Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, implementing the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong," and enabling Hong Kong to achieve a major transition from chaos to order, he said.
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Xi said he hopes that Lam will actively support the incoming chief executive and the new-term HKSAR government in exercising law-based governance and continue to contribute to the development of Hong Kong and the motherland.
Lam expressed her heartfelt thanks to Xi for visiting Hong Kong amid the COVID-19 epidemic, adding the visit fully demonstrates Xi's care for Hong Kong compatriots.
Accompanied by Lam, Xi also met members of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. At the meeting with Xi were present the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, the president of the Legislative Council, non-official members of the Executive Council, as well as the principal officials and permanent secretaries of the fifth-term HKSAR government.
Xi also met Thursday with Leung Chun-ying, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
President Xi Jinping (front row, centre) poses for a photo with Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor (front row, sixth left), and members of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary, as well as the Principal Officials and Permanent Secretaries of the fifth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on June 30, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVT)
He praised Leung for his efforts to promote national modernization and Hong Kong's prosperity and hoped he would support the new dispensation in exercising law-based governance, and make new contributions to the enduring success of the practice of "one country, two systems" along with people from different sectors.
Leung expressed his gratitude and pledged deep efforts to continue serving Hong Kong and the motherland.
On Thursday, Xi also asked his greetings be conveyed to Vice-Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee Tung Chee-hwa, who is in Hong Kong.
President Xi Jinping (third left) and his wife Peng Liyuan (third right) pose for a photo before dinner at Government House with Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor (second left) and her husband Lam Siu-por (far left), as well as Chief Executive-designate of the HKSAR John Lee Ka-chiu (second right) and his wife Janet Lee (far right) on June 30, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVT)