Director Trista Lim,
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good evening!
It gives me great pleasure to join you at the reception hosted by Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Sydney to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the Peoples’s Republic of China. At this moment, we are filled with delight at the 25 years of achievements that Hong Hong SAR has made. We are also full of hope and confidence for its even brighter future.
Not long ago, President Xi Jinping attended the meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth Administration of the Hong Kong SAR Government, demonstrating his commitment to stability and prosperity of Hong Kong under “one country, two systems”.
Over the past 25 years, the fellow compatriots in Hong Kong have made the most of its close connections with the world market and strong support from the motherland to have created a new development miracle. Hong Kong has entrenched its position as a center of international finance, transport and trade and as a champion of open economy boasting the best business environment in the world. Hong Kong has seen continued boom in its economy, a rapid rise of innovative and high-tech industries as well as progress in social causes. The legal framework it prides on, including its common law regime has continued and evolved with the times. At the same time, with the strong backing of the Central Government, the Hong Kong SAR has steadily expanded its external engagement with even broader international footprints.
Over the past 25 years, Hong Kong has also played a unique role in promoting the China-New Zealand relations. In 2010, the government of Hong Kong SAR and the government of New Zealand signed the “Closer Economic Partnership”agreement, the first free trade deal that Hong Kong SAR has ever reached with an external economy, another FIRST created in the China-New Zealand relations. Hong Kong SAR also reached the Mutual Recognition Arrangement with the New Zealand in 2018, bringing further improvement in bilateral trade facilitation. Close economic and trade cooperation has also boosted exchanges and cooperation in tourism, science and technology, and education. These have all added to the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Essentially, the success of the past 25 years of Hong Kong SAR is attributable to the full and faithful implementation of the principles of one country, two systems, Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong, and a high degree of autonomy. To address the challenges facing HK, the Central Government has supported the SAR Government in taking resolute and legitimate measures to tackle both their symptoms and root causes, which has enabled HK to make the transition from near chaos at one point to renewed stability, bringing the development of democracy and rule of law back to the right tracks, thereby laying a solid foundation for the HKSAR to achieve lasting prosperity and stability. The hard-won situation has won wide support from the 1.4 billion-plus Chinese people including the residents of Hong Kong and Macao. The successful implementation of the One country, Two systems principle will not only promote the stability and development of the Hong Kong SAR, but also create favorable conditions for our international partners, including New Zealand to conduct cooperation with Hong Kong and share the development opportunities of Hong Kong as well as of greater China. Our partners can stay reassured that their legitimate rights and interests in Hong Kong will be duly protected.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The development of greater China has laid solid groundwork for Hong Kong’s development. Hong Kong will always enjoy strong support from the Central Government in its efforts to overcome the various challenges. Given its competitive edges, Hong Kong has a special role to play in in China’s new-era national development strategies. At the same time, the Central Government also fully supports Hong Kong in its effort to improve its position as an international financial, shipping, and trading center, keep its business environment free and open, promote innovative development and industrial transformation, maintain the common law legal regime, and expand and facilitate its exchanges with the world.
We warmly congratulate the 6th administration of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government on its inauguration. We believe that under the auspices of “one country, two systems” and with full support of the Central Government, Hong Kong will continue playing its special role in China’s opening-up, and contribute to the China-New Zealand practical cooperation as ever.
With this, I would like to propose a toast:
To the better future of Hong Kong SAR!
To the friendly exchanges and cooperation between Hong Kong SAR and New Zealand!
To the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and New Zealand and the steady and sound development of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership!
