HONG KONG, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Luo Huining on Wednesday urged Hong Kong to more actively integrate into the national development amid external challenges.

"In the face of the increasingly severe and complicated international situation, Hong Kong needs the shoulders of its great motherland more than ever," Luo said when addressing a ceremony in celebration of the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

For its long-term prosperity, Hong Kong should make full use of its greatest advantage of "one country, two systems" and seize the opportunities from the reform and opening-up of the mainland, Luo said, citing in particular the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development.

By integrating into the national development, Hong Kong can truly address its deep-seated development bottlenecks and guarantee the improvement of people's livelihood, Luo said.

As long as it firmly stands with the motherland, Hong Kong can successfully deal with various risks and challenges, break through the whirlpool of "pan-politicization" and "burn with us" violence, and continue to shine as "Pearl of the Orient," Luo said.