Hong Kong should stick to "one country, two systems" principle amid social disputes: chief executive

Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam poses for photos with guests at a reception held by the Friends of Hong Kong Association to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Hong Kong, south China, Sept. 25, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

HONG KONG, Sept. 25 -- Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said Wednesday that Hong Kong should stick to the principle of "one country, two systems" in the face of social disputes in recent months.

Lam made the remarks at a reception held by the Friends of Hong Kong Association to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Lam said the "one country, two systems" principle is a policy that the country adheres to and is the best institutional arrangement for maintaining Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability.

While sticking to the "one country, two systems" principle at a time of prolonged social unrest, Lam said Hong Kong's fine tradition of the rule of law should be upheld, law enforcement should be carried out resolutely, and the offenders should be brought to justice. Meanwhile, she said the HKSAR government will go further into the community to heed the public's ideas and find a way out of the current difficulty and solutions to the deep-seated social problems.

As part of the HKSAR government's efforts to solve the current problems, Lam said she and other principal officials would hold the first session of the dialogue platform with community on Thursday evening to listen directly to the public for their views and ideas.

She promised to continue to lead the governance team of the HKSAR government into communities and reach out to members of different sectors and backgrounds in the future to put the people first in improving the people-centered governance and policy-making process.

Hong Kong has continued to enjoy unique advantages under the "one country, two systems" principle since its return to the motherland, Lam said, adding Hong Kong will continue to contribute to the country's development in the future by grasping the opportunities brought by the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative.