Vice premier meets HKSAR chief executive

BEIJING - Vice Premier Han Zheng on Friday met with Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam in Beijing.

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, met Lam at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

Han said since the beginning of this year, the HKSAR government under the leadership of Lam has made remarkable achievements in its active efforts to control the COVID-19 epidemic, stabilize the economy, address people's concerns, firmly implement the national security law for Hong Kong and safeguard Hong Kong's stability.

Han said he hoped Hong Kong would make epidemic response a top priority, strictly enforce regular epidemic containment measures, and coordinate epidemic prevention and control with economic recovery.

Han called for greater coordination and planning, addressing the immediate needs of Hong Kong residents while setting clear goals to gradually resolve the bottlenecks hindering Hong Kong's long-term development.

Hong Kong should seize the new opportunities brought by the country's entering of a new development stage, give full play to its unique advantages in building a new development pattern, and actively integrate into the overall development of the country, Han said.

The central government fully supports anything that is conducive to maintaining Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability, enhancing the wellbeing of Hong Kong compatriots and promoting the integrated development of the mainland and Hong Kong, he added.

Lam expressed sincere appreciation of the central government's strong support for Hong Kong's development and pledged to make good use of the central government's supporting measures, seize the major opportunities brought by the motherland's development, and promote Hong Kong's economic development and improve people's livelihood.

Xia Baolong was present at Friday's meeting.