A strong and stable
China developing in a rapid and orderly way is not only a sound
safeguard for Hong Kong's stability and prosperity, it also opens
up unprecedented opportunities to build an even better Hong Kong,
said Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
(HKSAR) Tung Chee Hwa on Wednesday.
Addressing the National
Day reception marking the 54th anniversary of the founding of the
People's Republic of China, Tung said the world has witnessed two
major events in China: the change of state leadership and the
combat against SARS this year.
With determination,
Chinese leaders mobilized the whole nation to fight an arduous and
soul-stirring battle against the SARS disease, scoring a
significant victory at the last. Social and political stability
throughout the country makes for a vibrant outlook. Building a
well-off society for 1.3 billion people is an impressive landmark
in the history of the Chinese nation, said Tung.
In March, the severe
acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) broke out in Hong Kong.
Displaying amazing resilience, the entire community joined with one
heart to fight against a virus that still baffles
scientists.
Just as soon as the
battle had been won, the HKSAR government and the community at
large, with the strong support of the central government and the
Guangdong provincial government, swiftly launched a series of
initiatives aimed to revitalize the economy, including early
implementation of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement
(CEPA) and the expansion of the "individual visits to Hong Kong"
program, said Tung.
The HKSAR government has
actively responded to the aspirations and concerns of the citizens
and seriously reviewed events with an eye to learning lessons from
the experience that can be applied to improving the governance,
Tung said.
He said that the HKSAR
government will do all it can to alleviate people's hardships by
fostering steady economic advancement; to redress public grievances
by improving governance; and to contribute further to the country
and social solidarity by working with the people to achieve a
better future.
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(Xinhua News Agency October 2, 2003)