HONG KONG - Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong special administrative region (HKSAR), stressed "patriots governing Hong Kong" and the "one country" principle on Friday.

"We must uphold the principle of 'patriots governing Hong Kong,' firmly abide by the 'one country' principle, act in strict accordance with the Constitution and the HKSAR Basic Law, maintain constitutional order, and implement central government's overall jurisdiction over Hong Kong so that our home Hong Kong can achieve prosperity and lasting peace and stability," Luo said when speaking at a virtual reception to mark the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Vice chairmen of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Tung Chee-hwa and Leung Chun-ying, HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam, Director of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR Zheng Yanxiong, Acting Commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry in the HKSAR Yang Yirui, Commander of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Garrison in the HKSAR Chen Daoxiang and political commissar of the garrison Cai Yongzhong attended the ceremony.

In 2020, since the central authorities made a series of important decisions on national security legislation in the HKSAR, Hong Kong has marked a turnaround from chaos to law and order, with the once-rampant street violence being ceased and residents regaining their safety and freedom, Luo said.

Hong Kong's "changes" over the past year were to set things right, Luo said, stressing that as long as the twisted and distorted are back in form, "one country, two systems" will definitely progress steadily in the right direction.

Looking ahead, Luo said he has four expectations for the future of Hong Kong.

The principle of "one country, two systems" will not change, with the bottom line of "one country" further consolidated and "two systems" showing more vitality, Luo said.

"We must uphold the principle of 'patriots governing Hong Kong,' firmly abide by the 'one country' principle, act in strict accordance with the Constitution and the HKSAR Basic Law, maintain constitutional order, and implement central government's overall jurisdiction over Hong Kong so that our home Hong Kong can achieve prosperity and lasting peace and stability," he said.

"Second, people's rights and interests guaranteed by the Constitution and the Basic Law will not change," he said, stressing that Hong Kong will have a stronger capability to ensure social stability and safeguard national security more effectively.

The national security law in the HKSAR must be firmly implemented and democracy and freedom should be upheld under the rule of law, Luo said, adding that more efforts should be made to avoid the trap of "pan-politicalization" and resist the tendency to deviate from good governance.

Besides, Hong Kong residents' way of life will not change and bigger steps will be taken to develop Hong Kong's economy and improve the people's livelihood, Luo said.

More precise and effective measures will be rolled out to address crucial livelihood problems step by step, such as employment, incomes, land, housing and health care, and to solve the entrenched issues that concern Hong Kong residents, so that everyone's hard work and efforts can be rewarded, and people can have a stronger sense of gain, happiness and security, Luo said.

"Fourth, Hong Kong's advantage of being a free market and its openness to the world will not change," Luo said. "It will see enhanced prospect to join the country's development and greater confidence to take part in international competitions."

Hong Kong should seize the major opportunities of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, participate in the domestic circle of the country's internal market, and promote the dual circulation of domestic and international markets to strengthen its economic competitiveness, Luo said.

As 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the faith is stronger than ever that under the leadership of the CPC, the historical trend of China's sound and steady development and the great national rejuvenation can never be stopped, Luo said.

Hong Kong will surely prosper when the country thrives, Luo said.

With the care and support of President Xi Jinping and the central authorities, the strong backing of the motherland, and the joint efforts of the HKSAR government and various sectors of the society, the dark clouds will be dispelled eventually and Hong Kong will become better, Luo said.