Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session after meeting the sixth-term Chief Executive-elect, Mr John Lee, this morning (May 9):
It gives me great pleasure to welcome Mr John Lee back to the Tamar Government offices following his very successful election as the sixth-term Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) yesterday. During our brief meeting this morning, I extended to John my warmest congratulations for his election as our next Chief Executive. I also promised that this term of Government will render all the necessary assistance and support to ensure that he will have every success in forming his governing team and will lead Hong Kong to a greater height in the next five years.
Yesterday's Chief Executive Election was a very important occasion, because it was the third, and the final, of the first round of three elections following the improved electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. As we all know, there was a very severe backdrop to why we need to improve Hong Kong's electoral system. I am very grateful to the Central Authorities for taking very timely measures to help Hong Kong to restore her stability, first with the enactment and implementation of the National Security Law, and last year with the improvements to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's electoral system. As pointed out in the statements made by the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR yesterday, the electoral reform improvements will enable Hong Kong to continue to thrive as a Special Administrative Region under the important principle of "One Country, Two Systems", and will also lay a very solid foundation for the continuation of Hong Kong's stability and prosperity.
I have to take this occasion to thank, above all, the Central Authorities for their support and guidance over these years, especially in the improvements to the electoral system, and also to thank the thousands of colleagues who had put in a lot of efforts to put in place not only the local legislation for the electoral arrangements, but also to mount three successful elections, that is the Election Committee Subsector Ordinary Elections last September, the seventh-term Legislative Council General Election last December, and then yesterday the sixth-term Chief Executive Election.
I have to express my personal appreciation, particularly to the Electoral Affairs Commission, chaired by Justice Barnabas Fung, for hosting a very efficient, honest and fair election, leading to the election of my former colleague, Mr John Lee.
In the remaining days of this term of government, we will render John every assistance that he needs to form a new government, including, of course, the much talked-about re-organisation of the Government structure. At the same time, I and my Administration will continue to fight the COVID-19 epidemic in order to enable the people of Hong Kong to return to normal life as soon as possible, and also to lay a strong foundation for the resumption of quarantine-free travel into the Mainland.
This year is the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. I hope very much to celebrate this very important occasion with the people of Hong Kong.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
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