John Lee says President Xi acknowledged SAR govt’s work

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that President Xi Jinping had acknowledged the SAR government’s work in a meeting last week and praised the administration for effectively leveraging the advantages of "one country, two systems."

Xi on Friday met with Lee, who was paying his annual duty visit to Beijing, in the central government’s headquarters in Zhongnanhai.

Speaking ahead of his weekly Executive Council meeting this morning, Lee mentioned that Xi's speech during the meeting can be divided into four parts.

He said Xi had fully recognized the effort and contribution of himself and the SAR government, taking a pragmatic and proactive approach. Xi also reaffirmed the central government's unwavering commitment to the "one country, two systems" policy.

The meeting also saw Xi noting that Hong Kong is in a good position for stable development, and had requested the government to lead various sectors of society in reform, align with national strategies, and shape new momentum for economic development.

Lee said Xi’s speech provides clear direction, highlighting that the country is the city’s strongest backer and offers the greatest opportunity for Hong Kong.

He also quoted Xi as saying that the Chief Executive and the SAR government should work together in reform and innovation, leveraging the advantages of the "one country, two systems" framework, with the Chief Executive playing a leading role.

Separately, the Hong Kong leader said Hong Kong has achieved results in various sectors over the past two and a half years, including being recognized again as the world's freest economy.

This reflects the international community's confidence in Hong Kong and indicates that the government's policies are on the right track, said Lee.

He mentioned that since taking office, the current government has been proactive in launching various reform measures to attract talent and businesses, successfully drawing a significant number of overseas companies to set up shop in Hong Kong.

This year, the number of foreign and mainland Chinese companies based in Hong Kong has reached a record high of 9,960. Among the companies based in Hong Kong, nearly half of the key enterprises are top leaders in their respective industries, said Lee.

Lee also noted that about 80 percent of them plan to establish global or regional headquarters in Hong Kong, which reflects that the government's policies in recent years have provided an ideal and attractive business environment for startups.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive said he will travel to Macau to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new term of the SAR government and congratulate Macau CE-elect Sam Hou-fai on taking office.

President Xi Jinping will also be in Macau from Wednesday to Friday to attend celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the SAR's return to the nation.