Chinese President Xi Jinping (L, front) and his wife Peng Liyuan (R, front) greet the crowd upon their arrival in Hong Kong, south China, June 29, 2017. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)
After its return in 1997, the special administrative region system provided for by China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR took root in Hong Kong.
The region has managed to retain prosperity and stability, despite the severe impacts of the Asian financial crisis, the SARS outbreak, and the global financial crisis, Xi said.
"Our practice has fully proven that 'one country, two systems' is absolutely correct and is pulsing with life," the president said.
In a separate meeting with Leung, Xi said the central government fully acknowledged his work during his five-year term of office.
With the strong support of the central government, Leung had led the HKSAR government to earnestly implement the principle of "one country, two systems" and the HKSAR Basic Law, and made arduous efforts to solve deep-rooted problems accumulated over the years in Hong Kong and expand the HKSAR's space for future development, Xi said.
Leung and the HKSAR government have staunchly safeguarded national sovereignty, security, development interests, and social stability, making positive contributions to the undertaking of the "one country, two systems," he said.
"The central government fully trusts you and fully acknowledges your work," Xi told Leung.
NEW DEALS
The Chinese mainland and Hong Kong inked two agreements here on Wednesday on investment as well as economic and technical (Ecotech) cooperation under the framework of the mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA).
According to the investment agreement, the mainland will provide the most favored treatment to Hong Kong. Hong Kong can also enjoy more preferential treatment in such sectors as shipping, aircraft manufacturing and energy exploration.
The agreement on Ecotech emphasizes mainland's support to Hong Kong in participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.
On Thursday afternoon, Xi also attended a signing ceremony for cooperation agreement on the development of the Hong Kong Palace Museum.
Under the agreement, the mainland and Hong Kong will carry out cooperation in areas including relics display, personnel training and people-to-people exchange.
The Palace Museum and Hong Kong authorities already signed last year a memorandum of cooperation on the Hong Kong Palace Museum.
The collection of artworks at the Palace Museum will be displayed at the Hong Kong Palace Museum to enrich the cultural life of Hong Kong.
Xi showed great interest in the cultural and art development of Hong Kong, and was briefed on the planning of the West Kowloon Cultural District, and the site selection and building of the Hong Kong Palace Museum.
The district can not only provide local residents with a convenient cultural and entertainment site, but is also conducive to the cultural and innovative industry development in the HKSAR, Xi said.
The president said that he hoped the HKSAR can carry forward the traditional culture, play its role as a platform facilitating Chinese and Western cultural exchanges, and promote cultural exchange and cooperation with the mainland.
Xi also watched some selections of Cantonese opera performed by children. He said that traditional cultural forms including Cantonese Opera had new development opportunities after Hong Kong's return to the motherland.
He encouraged performers in Hong Kong and the mainland to carry out more exchanges with and learn from each other.
