President Xi praises Hong Kong’s success, promises to support future growth

World Today

Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, second left, and Chief Executive-elect Carrie Lam, third left, applaud after watching two young Chinese opera performers during a visit to Hong Kong’s West Kowloon district Thursday, June 29, 2017, the site of a controversial high speed cross-border rail terminus. Pro-democracy supporters fear that a plan to station mainland Chinese immigration agents in the terminal to check passengers departing on trains for the mainland is an erosion of Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” formula. It promises that Hong Kong’s considerable autonomy will remain in place until 2047. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

President Xi Jinping pledged that the Chinese Mainland would always stand by Hong Kong.

President Xi is attending celebrations for the region’s 20th anniversary of it’s return to China.

CGTN’s Sun Ye reports on the president’s vision for Hong Kong.

It has been nine years since President Xi’s last visit to the region. During his return this week, he congratulated Hong Kong on its achievements. He also promised the Central Government would always support its growth.

“One purpose of the trip is to show the central government’s backing to Hong Kong. The central government has provided strong backing to Hong Kong over the past 20 years, and it will continue to seek to grow its economy and improve the lives of Hong Kong’s people,” President Xi said.

President Xi said he would join local people from all walks of life to plan the future together, a future that he said would “ensure the successful practice of ‘One Country, Two Systems’. Later, when the president met outgoing chief executive CY Leung, he once again expressed his confidence in the Special Administrative Region (SAR).

“I should say that over the past five years, the achievements have been fruitful, especially in defending the safety of national sovereignty and the interests of development. You have contributed in persistently practicing the spirit of the Basic Law. The central government fully trusts you, and fully recognizes the work of the Special Administrative Region’s government,” the president said.

More demonstrations of Hong Kong’s change and development are lined up for the next few days. President Xi is to take part in a number of celebrations, including a visit to the PLA’s garrison in Hong Kong, as well as the swearing-in of the region’s new administration.