President Xi Jinping met with Tung Chee-hwa, the first chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Friday, calling him “a pioneer” in practicing “one country, two systems” in Hong Kong.

Xi praised Tung for the large amount of trailblazing work he has done in this regard.

Tung, now vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), became the first chief executive of the HKSAR when Hong Kong returned to China from British rule on July 1, 1997.

As vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, Tung has continued to dedicate himself to the development and progress of the country and Hong Kong, Xi said, adding that Tung has set a good example for his successors.

The president expressed his hope that Tung could continue to play a positive role in the development of the country and Hong Kong in the future.

Tung said he is confident in the sustained prosperity and stability of the HKSAR under the “one country, two systems” principle, and he would do what he can to contribute more to the country and Hong Kong.

Xi arrived here Thursday to attend celebrations for Hong Kong’s 20th return anniversary and the inauguration of the HKSAR’s fifth-term government. Inspection of the HKSAR is also on the schedule for his three-day stay.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called on Hong Kong youths to choose the right path and serve Hong Kong and the country, a day before the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China.

Xi made the remarks when visiting the Junior Police Call (JPC) Permanent Activity Center and Integrated Youth Training Camp, where he talked with JPC members and asked about their life, study and training.

Youths are the future and the hope of the country, he told JPC members.

“There would be no promising future for the country without the healthy growth of the youths,” Xi said.

“Every generation of youths has its own historic missions and opportunities. Contemporary youths of Hong Kong shall seize the historic opportunities, and choose the right path forward to serve Hong Kong and the country,” he said.

The president also praised Hong Kong’s over 30,000 police officers, saying they had played a key role in safeguarding the rule of law and maintaining Hong Kong’s stability and prosperity over the past 20 years.

Noting that the Hong Kong police attaches great importance to law-related education among the youth, Xi said it is a far-sighted move.

Affiliated to the Hong Kong Police Force, the JPC is a major youth organization in Hong Kong with a membership of more than 180,000. Xi called on the JPC to make further efforts to cultivate a new generation of youths in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) who love both the country and Hong Kong.

HKSAR Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying accompanied Xi during the visit.

Also on Friday, Xi’s wife Peng Liyuan visited an elderly center in the company of Leung’s wife Regina Leung Tong Ching-yee.

At the TWGHs Jockey Club Sunshine Complex For the Elderly, Peng asked the senior residents about their life, daily routine and rehabilitation treatment. She also joined them in making handicrafts and expressed her wishes for their happy life.

The Ministry of National Defense (MOD) has once again demanded India remove troops trespassing across the border in the Sikkim section and obstructing Chinese border guards’ normal activities.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the MOD, told a press conference on June 29 that Indian border guards had crossed the border into Chinese territory. He accused the Indian troops of obstructing People’s Liberation Army (PLA) normal activities in the Donglang area.

“Our border guards have taken necessary measures in response and they will resolutely preserve the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.

His remark amounted to a reiteration from the PLA demanding India halt its encroachments. Earlier on June 26, Colonel Ren Guoqiang, another MOD spokesman, warned India not to obstruct PLA road construction in the Donglang area. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs made similar representations to India.

Some Indian media claimed that it was Chinese soldiers that trespassed onto the Indian side before they used bulldozers to dismantle some facilities.

Wu justified the PLA’s road construction, stressing that “the incident took place on Chinese territory.”

“We have explicitly demand India correct its errors immediately and withdraw its personnel that illegally crossed the Chinese border,” he said.

At the same time, the MOD spokesman criticized Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat over his statements of preparations for a multi-front war.

General Bipin Rawat recently said, “Indian Army is fully ready for a two-and-a-half front war.”

Deeming such remarks “extremely irresponsible,” Wu urged certain people in the Indian military to “learn from the history and stop airing such dangerous, belligerent remarks.”

A video made public shows that a new type of PLA tanks recently appeared on the Tibetan plateau for exercises. Military observers noticed it was the 35-ton light main battle tank and its barrel was adjusted to a higher position to cope with mountain warfare.

Recent U.S. media reports claimed this tank featured an even stronger front protection than the PLA’s latest 96A tank, far exceeding the Indian army’s 90S tanks.

The MOD spokesperson confirmed that PLA’s new tanks were being tested in a high-altitude environment in Tibet. However, he rebuffed allegations that linked the tank with recent border tensions with India, saying the tests targeted no country.

President Xi Jinping on Friday inspected the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Garrison in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) at Shek Kong barracks, on the eve of the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China.

Xi, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission, reviewed the troops in the company of Tan Benhong, commander of the PLA Garrison in the HKSAR.

More than 3,100 officers and soldiers took part in the review, and over 100 pieces of military equipment including air defense missiles and helicopters were displayed.

About 4,000 spectators from all walks of life in Hong Kong were present.

Xi arrived here Thursday to attend celebrations for Hong Kong’s 20th return anniversary and the inauguration of the HKSAR’s fifth-term government. He will also inspect the HKSAR during his three-day stay.

A female panda called Chengda gave birth on Tuesday to the first pigeon pair this year in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province.

The female cub weighed 128.2 grams and was born at 10:57 pm, while the male cub followed at 11:35 pm, weighing 160.2 grams, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding announced.

According to workers at the base, Chengda had been showing signs of pregnancy since June 5, such as a loss of appetite. On Tuesday, she was restless and her waters broke in the afternoon, they said, adding that the cubs are in good health and Chengda is able to feed them.

Pandas are an endangered species due to extremely low reproductive rates in the wild. In captivity, they often give birth to twins and sometimes even triplets.