Today is the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which coincides with the Mid-Autumn Festival this year. Last time the Mid-Autumn Festival fell on the National Day was back in 2001. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a safe and healthy Mid-Autumn Festival alongside the celebration of the National Day.

After 71 years of development, our country has made significant achievements with rapid economic and social changes. In 1978, China adopted a policy to modernise the agriculture, industry, science and technology as well as national defense, embarking on the remarkable journey of reform and opening-up. Today, China has become the second largest economy in the world.

In the early days of our country’s reform and opening-up, a large number of Hong Kong entrepreneurs invested in the Mainland and became China’s window to the world, bringing in capital, talent and management system. Meanwhile, a lot of Hong Kong manufacturers moved their production lines northward to the Pearl River Delta region, creating business opportunities for entrepreneurs and making Hong Kong the bridge linking the Mainland and the global market. This enabled Hong Kong to establish and reinforce its present position as an international commercial, logistic, shipping, financial and professional service centre.

Hong Kong has been leveraging its advantages to integrate into the growth of our country, manifesting the principle of “joint development, shared prosperity”. The results were well recognised. The Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Greater Bay Area have provided ample opportunities to us. We should capitalise on our unique position under the “One Country, Two Systems” and utilise our talent and experience in finance, legal and technology sectors to complement the development of the Greater Bay Area and expand our business along the Belt and Road development. This will not only revitalise the city but also make new contributions to our country.

This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Basic Law's promulgation. The concept of “One Country, Two Systems” is successfully implemented in the form of law under the Basic Law, keeping Hong Kong prosperous and stable. The Department of Justice is currently preparing for “Legal Summit for the 30th Anniversary of the Promulgation of the Basic Law – ‘Back to Basic’” in which experts will be invited to talk about the relationship among the Constitution, the Basic Law and “One Country, Two Systems” from different perspectives, with a view to enhancing the public's understanding of the Constitution and the Basic Law.

In the Chinese tradition, country and family are inseparable. Our country provides a strong support to each of her nationals, ensuring that we can live and work in peace and prosperity. A stable family leads to a prosperous society. Last but not the least, I wish our country continued peace and prosperity in the years to come.

October 1, 2020

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