Chinese Premier Wen Jiaobao met with Tung Chee Hwa, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Wednesday in Beijing.
Premier Wen warmly greeted Tung and offered good wishes to the people of Hong Kong.
After hearing Tung's briefing on the current situation in Hong Kong, Premier Wen said China's central government's performance inhandling Hong Kong affairs has received worldwide praise due to the consistent implementation of the principle of "One country, two systems" and the Basic Law of the HKSAR since China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong five years ago.
Wen said the SAR government had overcome various difficulties to maintain stable economic and social development in Hong Kong, which fully reflected the wisdom and capabilities of its people.
Ensuring long-term stability and prosperity in Hong Kong was the obligation of the central government, Wen said, adding the newly elected government would make further efforts to improve economic ties between the mainland and the HKSAR.
Though facing certain difficulties, Hong Kong still had advantages, Wen said, stressing it needed unity and confidence in tackling its economic problems.
Wen expressed his confidence that Hong Kong would make fresh progress under the leadership of the SAR government.