Xia Baolong, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, speaks at a high-level symposium marking the first anniversary of the enactment of the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in Beijing, capital of China, July 16, 2021. [Xinhua/Liu Bin]

BEIJING -- A symposium marking the first anniversary of enacting the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) was held in Beijing Friday.

Xia Baolong, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, made a speech at the symposium.

Xia underlined the importance of a speech by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, at the CPC centenary ceremony, which reiterates the firm position to fully and faithfully implement the "one country, two systems" principle and underscores the central government's overall jurisdiction over the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions (SAR) and implementation of the legal systems and enforcement mechanisms for them.

Xia said Xi's important remarks are of profound significance for the steady and sustained implementation of "one country, two systems" under new circumstances, and for maintaining lasting prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao.

The promulgation and enforcement of the national security law have reversed the chaos in Hong Kong at one stroke, achieving a major turning point and serving as a major milestone in the implementation of "one country, two systems," Xia said.

The HKSAR has been unswervingly fulfilling its constitutional duty to safeguard national security and spared no effort to build an "iron wall" for national security. Being enforced vigorously, the national security law has worked as a safeguard for Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, he said.

Xia said that Hong Kong, effectively safeguarded by the law, has an important role to play as the Chinese nation propels ahead to achieve its great rejuvenation.

Stressing the strict implementation of the "patriots administering Hong Kong" principle, Xia required resolute efforts to exclude anti-China forces from the SAR's administrative structure.

He also called for efforts to elect staunch patriots with a high caliber of administrative capabilities.

The senior official said that such personnel should be competent in fully and accurately practicing "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong, solving tensions and problems facing the region's development, serving the public with practical actions, rallying and uniting all sectors for the development of Hong Kong, and working diligently with a sense of responsibility.

Experts and scholars attending the symposium commended the progress made since the enactment of the national security law, calling for continuous efforts to enforce, study and promote the law, further implement "patriots administering Hong Kong", and ensure the steady and sustained implementation of "one country, two systems" .

The symposium was organized by the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, and was attended by over 300 people including chief officials of related central authorities, relevant officials from the two SAR governments including HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam and Macao SAR Chief Executive Ho Iat-seng, public figures, experts and scholars from the mainland, the HKSAR and the Macao SAR.

Officials, experts and scholars in Hong Kong and Macao attended the event via video link.