Fellow Compatriots, Dear Friends,

Today, we gather here on a joyous occasion to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Hong Kong' return to the motherland. First of all, I wish to extend, on behalf of the Central Government and people of all ethnic groups across the country, cordial greetings to all the people of Hong Kong. I wish to offer warm congratulations to Mr. Leung Chun-ying, the fourth chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), his team and members of the Executive Council who have just been sworn in. I also wish to express my sincere appreciation to all the fellow Chinese both at home and abroad and foreign friends who have cared about Hong Kong and have contributed to its smooth return and to its continued prosperity and stability!

The return of Hong Kong to the motherland will go down as a great achievement in the annals of Chinese history; it will be remembered as a historic event at the end of the last century that has a major international significance. Since the very moment of its return, Hong Kong has entered a new era and begun a new journey. Over the past 15 years, the principles of "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy have been fully implemented. Our compatriots in Hong Kong are now masters of their own fate and manage, on their own, affairs that fall within the autonomy of the SAR. Never before have Hong Kong residents enjoyed the range of democratic rights and freedoms as they do now. Despite the impact of the international financial crisis, Hong Kong has registered steady economic growth and has remained an international financial, trade and shipping center. It has all along been considered as the most free and open economy and one of the most competitive and dynamic regions of the world. Hong Kong has enjoyed all-round social development, continued high employment level and significantly improved social security. Its exchanges with the mainland have expanded across the board, with much stronger economic and trade ties and deepened cooperation in various areas. Hong Kong has continued to make unique contribution to the reform, opening-up and modernization drive in the mainland of China, and at the same time it has gained more and more opportunities and endless impetus for its development from the mainland. Our compatriots in Hong Kong enjoy a growing sense of identity and closeness with the country and the nation. In the face of serious disasters, our Hong Kong compatriots and people on the mainland have stood together and supported each other, fully demonstrating that we are kith and kin and blood is thicker than water. Also in these 15 years, Hong Kong has been more active in its external contacts and has seen its international influence further expanded.

同胞們，朋友們：

今天，我們懷著喜悅的心情在這里隆重集會，慶祝香港回歸祖國15周年。首先，我代表中央政府和全國各族人民，向全體香港市民，致以誠摯的問候！向剛剛宣誓就職的香港特別行政區第四任行政長官梁振英先生和第四屆政府主要官員、行政會議成員，表示熱烈的祝賀！向所有關心香港、為香港順利回歸并保持繁榮穩定作出貢獻的海內外同胞和國際友人，表示衷心的感謝！

香港回歸祖國是彪炳中華民族史冊的偉大業績，也是上個世紀末具有重大國際影響的歷史事件。從回歸祖國那一刻起，香港就進入了新的時代、開啟了新的航程。15年來，“一國兩制”、“港人治港”、高度自治的方針得到全面貫徹落實。香港同胞當家作主，自行管理特別行政區自治范圍內的事務。香港居民享有的民主權利和自由比歷史上任何時候都更為廣泛。在經歷了國際金融危機等沖擊后，香港經濟平穩發展，繼續保持國際金融、貿易、航運中心的地位，一直被公認為全球最自由開放、最具競爭力的經濟體和最具發展活力的地區之一。香港社會事業全面進步，就業水平持續提高，社會保障明顯改善。香港同祖國內地的交流全方位擴展，經貿關系更加緊密，各領域合作不斷深化。香港繼續為國家改革開放和現代化建設作出獨特貢獻，并從祖國內地獲得越來越多的發展機遇和源源不斷的發展動力。香港同胞對國家、民族的認同和感情與日俱增，在各種嚴重災難面前與祖國內地人民同舟共濟、守望相助，充分體現出血濃于水的同胞親情。香港對外交往更為活躍，國際影響進一步擴大。