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Hong Kong citizens have today (Wednesday) received a rousing anniversary call from the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, to 'summon unprecedented courage' in building a brighter future for the HKSAR.

"The prospect of Hong Kong is not to be measured by our fortune today. Rather it will be determined by our spirit and vitality," Mr Tung said at the first anniversary celebration event at the Hong Kong Coliseum.

"In the face of unprecedented problems, let's summon unprecedented courage to overcome the difficulties and open the doors to the next century."

Mr Tung told the 5,500 guests - who included President Jiang Zemin and Vice-Premier Qian Qichen - that the Asian financial turmoil had dealt a severe blow to Hong Kong people over the past year.

He said the Government was making genuine and vigorous efforts to help residents tide over difficulties and lead them on the road to happiness.

"The biggest challenge we have now is how to integrate the development of our bright future with our efforts to relieve the people's hardship," he said.

"There is hardly anything more precious than the mutual understanding and support that exists between the Government and its people in weathering difficult times.

"Since the emergence of the financial turmoil, the SAR Government has been working hard to relieve the people's suffering, restore confidence in the market and create more job opportunities."

The Chief Executive said the development and achievements of the mainland added to Hong Kong people's courage to 'face squarely the hard times ahead'.

He said it was fortunate Hong Kong had returned to the motherland at a time when the nation had such a promising outlook.

"With reunification, our interests and those of our nation are intricately linked," he said.

"We will not only benefit a great deal from our motherland's rapid development and prosperity; more so we will learn from our motherland whose dynamic and entrepreneurial spirit points to us the way to forge ahead."

Mr Tung said that over the past year the 'One Country, Two Systems' concept had worked out remarkably well. He said there was ample evidence to support the fact that Hong Kong people have truly become masters of their own destiny.

"Neither the Central Government nor the mainland authorities have interfered in the internal affairs of Hong Kong," he said.

"On the contrary, the Central Government has repeated her pledge to maintain the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong at all costs.

"Such an undertaking is a great encouragement to all the people of Hong Kong."

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Note to Editors:

The full text of Mr Tung's speech in Chinese and English will be released through GNIS.

End/Wednesday, July 1, 1998

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