Director of central gov't liaison office in HKSAR stresses 'historical confidence' in 'one country, two systems'

Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), on Wednesday emphasized historical confidence in the "one country, two systems."

The extraordinary journey travelled by Hong Kong since its return to the motherland suffices to justify the historical confidence in "one country, two systems," Luo said when delivering his 2022 Chinese New Year speech titled "Let history illuminate the future of Hong Kong."

"As we reflect on the journey travelled thus far, we see that the naysayers and saboteurs of the 'one country, two systems' principle have invariably ended up being disappointed and unpopular among the people," he said in the online speech.

He said the year 2021 marked a new chapter for the practice of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong, and the practice of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong is at a new historical starting point.

The city has taken on a brand-new look following the further implementation of the national security law, the improvement to the electoral system, the successful completion of two major elections and the effectuation of the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong," he said.

"Since last year, many people have witnessed the fascinating changes in Hong Kong, and the road forward has become broader. Full of enthusiasm, people are looking forward to a new chapter of sound governance, which accords with the logic of historical development," Luo said.

Hong Kong has a promising future and the key lies in Hong Kong acquiring the historical consciousness to resolutely integrate into the overall development of the country, he noted.

He called for unity and concerted efforts to ensure sound implementation of "one country, two systems" in the long run.

Achieving good governance depends not only on the initiative of the HKSAR's governing team, but also on the collective efforts of the community, Luo said, noting it is imperative now to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and weather the trying times with concerted efforts.

"I have confidence that as long as we pull together to overcome difficulties, a promising future will surely be in store for Hong Kong and its people," he said.