'One country, two systems' must be adhered to over long run: Xi

HONG KONG -- "One country, two systems" has been tested and proved time and again, and there is no reason to change such a good system and it must be adhered to over the long run, President Xi Jinping said here on Friday.

Xi made the remarks at the meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The policy of "one country, two systems" is a great initiative that has no precedent to follow, and its underlying goal is to uphold China's national sovereignty, security, and development interests, and maintain long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao, said Xi.

"Everything the central government has done is for the benefit of our country, of Hong Kong and Macao, and of our fellow compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao," said Xi.

"One country, two systems," having been tested and proved time and again, meets the fundamental interests of the country and the Chinese nation and those of Hong Kong and Macao, said Xi.

It enjoys the full support of the more than 1.4 billion people of the motherland, it has the unanimous endorsement of Hong Kong and Macao residents, and it is widely recognized by the international community, he added.

"There is no reason to change such a good system, and it must be adhered to over the long run," Xi said.