HONG KONG, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Tung Chee-hwa, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and others extended their Chinese New Year greetings to Hong Kong people at a virtual reception organized by the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Friday.

Tung said that in the past year, Hong Kong people stood by and helped each other through difficult times. It was also a year in which Hong Kong's constitutional order was restored and things were put right. With the implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR, social order and the authority of rule of law have been gradually restored, and policies to promote economy and improve people's livelihood have also been speeding up.

He believed that in the new year, driven by the country's powerful engine of development, with the advantage of the "one country, two systems" and the unity of 7.5 million people, Hong Kong will overcome adversity and create a new golden era.

Leung Chun-ying, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said that COVID-19 has posed a major threat to the lives and health of people all over the world, and China has decisively adopted the most comprehensive, strict and thorough measures to prevent and control the disease.

The national security law in Hong Kong came into effect and provided a strong guarantee for national security and social stability in Hong Kong. In the New Year, as long as everyone forges ahead, a new page will surely be opened for the development of the country and Hong Kong, Leung said.

Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), extended her New Year greetings to the people in Hong Kong and the mainland on behalf of the HKSAR government.

Lam said she and the HKSAR government will work hard to fight COVID-19 with the support and cooperation of the general public and strive for the ultimate goal of reaching "zero infection". A COVID-19 vaccine program will be implemented so that Hong Kong can get out of the epidemic and people can lead a normal life again.

The HKSAR government is also determined to fully implement the national security law in Hong Kong to prevent, stop and punish the acts that endanger national security, she said.

Zheng Yanxiong, director of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, said that the formulation and implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong by the Central authorities serve as a baseline for the principle of "one country, two systems" and a shield for the rule of law, which is the common aspiration of people in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong has already put an end to its history of unguarded national security and is returning to the right track of rule of law, opening up a bright future, Zheng said, adding that in the new year, the national security office will perform its duties in strict accordance with the law, fairly and effectively, and make every effort to safeguard Hong Kong's security and be the "gatekeeper" of national security. Enditem

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