The 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was celebrated in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Tuesday.

A flag-raising ceremony was held at the Golden Bauhinia Square Tuesday morning. After China’s national flag was hoisted, helicopters of the Government Flying Service flew over the Victoria Harbor displaying China’s national flag and the flag of the HKSAR. Some ships in the sea replied with water salute.

Following the ceremony, a grand reception was hosted by the HKSAR government in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.

“Over the past seven decades, our country has marched ahead steadfastly, persevering through severe tests and challenges with indomitable spirit and transforming into an open, progressive, prosperous and rejuvenated nation in steady steps,” said Acting Chief Executive Matthew Cheung in his speech at the reception.

Following the reform and opening-up, China has made great strides, from first standing on its feet to becoming prosperous and growing strong, he said, adding “the phenomenal advancement of our nation has attracted worldwide attention.”

Cheung noted that during the glorious course of national development, “Hong Kong has leveraged its strengths to serve our country’s needs and benefitted from its rapid development.”

“Ever since Hong Kong’s return to our motherland 22 years ago, the central people’s government has been fully committed to supporting the chief executive and the HKSAR government in our effective and proactive governance in accordance with the law. At the same time, the HKSAR government has implemented the policy of ‘one country, two systems’ successfully,” he said.

While pointing out that the development in Hong Kong was not without risks and challenges, he said, “Hong Kong’s hard-earned success is founded on the relentless efforts of generations of Hong Kong people for which we should all dearly cherish.”

“Violence and confrontation are never solutions to problems,” he said, referring to the unrest that plagued the Asian financial hub for more than three months.

“We need more than ever the solidarity of all Hong Kong people to work towards the same goal, seek common ground and accommodate differences,” he added.

“It is only through ensuring the robustness of ‘one country, two systems,’ upholding the Basic Law, defending fiercely the rule of law and maintaining public order, safeguarding steadfastly national sovereignty, security and development interests, seizing every opportunity in developing a diversified economy and cherishing our hard-earned social stability that we can weather every storm we meet, seize any opportunity before us and continue to thrive in the years ahead,” Cheung said.

COURTESY CRI.