President Xi Jinping (third left) meets the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s new Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu (second left) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on July 1, 2022. Director of the Communist Party of China Central Committee’s General Office Ding Xuexiang (third right), Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Xia Baolong (second right), Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR Luo Huining (first right) and new Director of the Chief Executive's Office Carol Yip (first left) were also present. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG - The central authorities will fully support newly inaugurated Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region John Lee Ka-chiu and the new-term HKSAR government in law-based governance, President Xi Jinping said on Friday.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Lee who was sworn in earlier in the morning.

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"We have full confidence in you and the new-term HKSAR government, and we have full confidence in Hong Kong's future," Xi said.

President Xi Jinping (right) and John Lee Ka-chiu, who was newly sworn in as the chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, pose for photos after the swearing-in ceremony at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, July 1, 2022. (PHOTO/HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

The president expressed his hope that Lee will faithfully fulfill his constitutional responsibilities as the chief executive and lead the HKSAR government in fully and faithfully implementing the principle of "one country, two systems" and the Basic Law of the HKSAR.

Xi called on Lee to unite people from all walks of life in advancing Hong Kong's prosperity and writing new chapters of the practice of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong.

Expressing his gratitude for the trust of Xi and the central government, Lee pledged to lead the HKSAR government in improving governance and making new advances in Hong Kong's development.

Accompanied by Lee, Xi also met with senior figures of the HKSAR's executive, legislative and judicial bodies. They included Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal Andrew Cheung Kui-nung, Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok, Legislative Council President Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, Convenor of the non-official members of the Executive Council Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, as well as the principal officials and permanent secretaries of the new term of government.