Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Monday he expected Hong Kong to maintain stable economic growth next year and appreciated the city's efforts to pull through the global downturn this year.

"In the coming year, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government should continue its work to deal with the global financial crisis and maintain stable economic development," Wen said in a meeting with Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, chief executive of Hong Kong SAR, in Beijing.

Tsang briefed him on the situation in Hong Kong and the SAR government's work in the past year.

Wen urged the SAR government to deal with deeply rooted problems in its economy, improve research on its development strategy and make a comprehensive and long-term plan.

It should fully exploit the city's advantages and sharpen its competitive edge, he said.

"The SAR government should also pay more attention to public service and people's livelihood, which will reinforce Hong Kong people's confidence," he said.

"The central government will support Hong Kong's consolidation of its position as the international financial center and maintain the city's stability and prosperity as it has done before," he said.

Wen appreciated the SAR government's efforts to lead Hong Kong through the tough challenges of the global downturn this year.

"In the face of difficulties, the SAR government remained composed and put forward a series of effective policies and measures, which maintained economic stability and staged recovery," he said.

Hong Kong would have a bright future if the SAR government worked with all walks of the society to boost the city's development and build up harmony with tolerance, he said.