The principle of one country, two systems has been successfully implemented in Hong Kong and Hong Kong people are capable of dealing with their own affairs, Hong Kong's Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa said Friday at a meeting with a US Congressional delegation.

Tung said as part of China, Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of autonomy under the Basic Law, but it has to respect the constitutional order and relationship between the Central Authorities and the Special Administrative Region as stipulated in the Basic Law.

"Hong Kong's political structure is developing under the principle of gradual and orderly progress and moving towards the ultimate aim of universal suffrage, in accordance with the provisions of the Basic Law and the decision made by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress," he said.

Tung noted that Hong Kong citizens have enjoyed unprecedented democracy since Hong Kong's return to the motherland in 1997, adding that the number of directly elected seats of the Legislative Council has increased from 20 in 1998 to 30 this year.

"In recent years our country has seen rapid economic development and modernization, and its international status has been rising. Hong Kong people are proud of our motherland's achievements. Our country's policy towards Hong Kong has won widespread support from home and abroad," Tung told the delegation.

(Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2004)