Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Tung Chee Hwa held a bilateral meeting with visiting British Prime Minister Tony Blair Wednesday morning.

During the meeting, Tung told Blair how Hong Kong had bounced back with resilience and vigor after containing the SARS outbreak.

Both of them noted the successful implementation of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle in Hong Kong over the past six years, and that despite the recent difficulties, Hong Kong had coped well.

Tung also talked about the new opportunities brought about by the Mainland/Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement and the enhanced cooperation between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta region.

Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang, acting Finance Secretary Stephen Ip, Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology Henry Tang, Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Yeoh Eng-kiong and Director of the Chief Executive's Office W.K. Lam also attended the meeting.

At a luncheon held for him by the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Tony Blair said that maintaining stability should be the top priority for Hong Kong, and that Britain is concerned about the stability of the city.

He expressed confidence that Hong Kong would surely overcome the difficulties facing it with its resilience and well established financial, legal systems and infrastructure, adding Hong Kong is one of the world's best economic and trade centers.

The British prime minister stressed that "one country, two systems" is a unique practice and the principle is not the cause for the recent problems.

He said Britain is ready to play a bigger role in helping Hong Kong to revive its economy.

(Xinhua News Agency July 23, 2003)