President Xi Jinping met with a delegation of Hong Kong's industrial and business circles headed by Tung Chee-hwa at the Great Hall of the People yesterday.
On TV footage it could be seen that over 70 well known figures from Hong Kong's industrial and business sectors, such as Li Ka-shing, Lee Shau Kee, Robert Kuok Hock Nien, Robert Ng Chee Siong and Lui Che Woo, were seated in proper sequence in the meeting hall. In his opening address, President Xi Jinping said that it would be the 65th birthday of the People's Republic of China （PRC） in a few days. In past 65 years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China （CPC）, the country has made universally-acknowledged enormous achievements, and during this course Hong Kong has been on the same boat with the Motherland through storm and stress and played a uniquely important role.
It is touching that many members of the audience are exactly participants in this great course, and thus witnesses to the 65 years of Hong Kong sticking together with the Motherland through storm and stress. At the beginning of reform and opening up, they already went to invest in the Mainland, opening factories, building hotels and making donations to education. The country's development has also given them unprecedented opportunities. As head of the Hong Kong delegation Tung Chee-hwa put it: "The betterment of Hong Kong benefits the country； the betterment of the country benefits Hong Kong even more." Hong Kong people stick together with the Motherland through thick and thin, sharing weal and woe. Such flesh-and-blood ties and affection can never be changed by any force.
The delegation has been given such high-standard reception as being received and met by President Xi Jinping and given a feast by Chairman Zhang Dejiang of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress （NPC）. On this, some individuals here sourly said this was to rope in the tycoons to make clear their attitude toward universal suffrage. This shows they cannot see beyond the end of their nose. The election of the Chief Executive by universal suffrage surely is currently a major issue in the SAR, to which the Central Government also pays great attention. But the Central Government believes that Hong Kong compatriots know how to analyse the current domestic and international situations, know how to treasure the hard-won stability and prosperity, and understand the profound truth that electing a patriotic Chief Executive is the most favourable to Hong Kong. The Hong Kong delegation does not need to make clear its attitude, though supporting the "decision" of the NPC Standing Committee and opposing such illegal and trouble making activities such as Occupy Central and class boycotts is indeed the common aspiration of every member of the delegation.
At the meeting, President Xi Jinping pointed out that "one country two systems" was a basic state policy which was not only in keeping with the fundamental interests of the nation and the long-term interests of Hong Kong, but also in line with the interests of overseas investors. The key to well managing Hong Kong affairs is to comprehensively and accurately understand and implement the "one country two systems" principle and safeguard the authority of the Basic Law.
President Xi also reiterated the [Central Government's] "three unswerving devotions"： to unswervingly insist on the implementation of the "one country two systems" principle and the Basic Law, to unswervingly support Hong Kong to promote democracy in accordance with the law, and to unswervingly safeguard Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability.
Recently, public attention has focused on the issue of the election of CE in 2017 by universal suffrage, and some people become concerned whether the "one country two systems" principle will be changed in future to "rein in" Hong Kong. Such worry is absolutely unnecessary and ungrounded. What causes such worry is simply a lack of sufficient understanding and recognition of "one country two systems".
As the Central Government has repeatedly reiterated, "one country two systems" is by no means an expedient measure. Because the "one country two systems" principle is in keeping with the overall interests of the nation and Hong Kong, there is no need to make any change. But to manage Hong Kong affairs well, the key is to comprehensively and accurately understanding and implementing "one country two systems". The election of CE in 2017 by universal suffrage derives from "one country two systems". Without Hong Kong's handover in 1997, without the Basic Law, there would have been no universal suffrage in the SAR at all. This is the sound reason why universal suffrage must be pursued in accordance with relevant stipulations of the Basic Law and "decisions" made by the NPC Standing Committee.
In past 65 years, Hong Kong people have been on the same boat with the country to share weal and woe. Right now, in regard to the election of CE in 2017 by universal suffrage, the Central Government and Hong Kong people are still on the same boat and share weal and woe. As long as the ship of election of CE in 2017 by universal suffrage sails along the correct route of "one country two systems", it is bound to reach its destination, and no storm or rain can stop it from forging ahead.