Hong Kong raises flags, holds reception to celebrate National Day

A flag-raising ceremony is held to celebrate the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China at the Golden Bauhinia Square in south China's Hong Kong, Oct. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Siu Wai)

HONG KONG, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government held a flag-raising ceremony and a grand reception Thursday to celebrate the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

China's national flag and the HKSAR flag were hoisted and the national anthem was played at the Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong on Thursday morning. Helicopters carrying the red national and HKSAR flags flew over Victoria Harbor in celebration and a fireboat sprayed a water salute.

Vice chairmen of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Tung Chee-hwa and Leung Chun-ying, HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR Luo Huining, Director of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR Zheng Yanxiong, Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR Xie Feng, Commander of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Garrison in the HKSAR Chen Daoxiang, and political commissar of the Garrison Cai Yongzhong attended the ceremony.

When addressing the reception, Lam said the central government has always been the strong backup force to Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and has helped Hong Kong address various difficulties and challenges since its return to the motherland in 1997.

She cited recent support by the central government to launch mass COVID-19 testing and build a makeshift hospital and community treatment facilities in Hong Kong.

After experiencing social unrest last year and the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong in late June, it has been clear that to ensure continued progress in various causes, Hong Kong must maintain a safe and stable environment, adhere to the "one country" to safeguard national sovereignty and security, correctly understand the relationship between the "one country" and the "two systems," and act in accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR, Lam said.

Over the past three months, stability has returned to the Hong Kong society, national security has been safeguarded in the HKSAR, and people are able to enjoy their basic rights and freedoms in accordance with law, she said.

Lam said the HKSAR government will more actively push Hong Kong to integrate into the national development and called on Hong Kong people to genuinely uphold the "one country, two systems" principle and the Basic Law of the HKSAR and make concerted efforts to build Hong Kong into a better place.