China on Wednesday morning held a high-level seminar to
commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Basic Law of Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
The seminar was attended by senior government officials since
Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's
Congress Wu Bangguo and Vice-President Zeng Qinghong attended the seminar.
Delivering a speech at the seminar, Wu said that the last decade
had shown the effectiveness of the "one country, two systems"
philosophy and that the Basic Law was now a tried and tested
law.
Wu emphasized that Hong Kong must continue to uphold state
sovereignty, focus on a high degree of autonomy as a special
administrative region and ensure prosperity and stability.
"The practice of a capitalist system and policies in the HKSAR
is based on an undivided China and that a socialist system is
applied to the main body of China," said Wu, adding that the
central government would intervene in any affairs that would affect
the autonomy of the HKSAR.
"To maintain the capitalist system in Hong Kong with a high
degree of autonomy will lead to long-term prosperity and stability
in Hong Kong," he said.
"What I wish to stress here is that the central government will
always work for the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong
in all its dealings with the region," he said.
HKSAR Chief Executive Donald Tsang was also in attendance,
testifying that Hong Kong had retained its international features,
was ruled by law and possessed all the freedom enshrined in the
Basic Law after its return to the motherland.
"With state care and assistance, we have succeeded in displaying
our unique advantages and made significant achievements that have
been widely recognized by the international community," Tsang
said.
Enacted in accordance with the nation's Constitution, the Basic
Law lays downs the guidelines of "one country, two systems" and of
"Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" with a high degree of
autonomy, Tsang noted.
Tsang added that Hong Kong will better deal with global
competition through strengthened cooperation with the mainland. In
this spirit, Hong Kong should forge closer links with mainland
provinces and municipalities to avoid harmful competition between
the two.
The chief executive illustrated this spirit of cooperation by
bringing up the creation of Hong Kong trade offices in Shanghai and
Chengdu last year, saying these offices have facilitated Hong
Kong's economic and trade cooperation with these inland areas.
To maintain its bulwark status as an international Asian
financial center, Hong Kong will also need help from inland areas
and asks them to embrace financial interaction and complementation
in the financial sector, he said.
In the meantime, Hong Kong would maintain its role as an
international metropolis, he said, adding that Hong Kong wishes to
enhance international contacts, especially as relating to
(Xinhua News Agency June 6, 2006)
