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同胞们，朋友们：

Fellow Compatriots,

Dear Friends,

今天，我们怀着喜悦的心情，在这里隆重集会，庆祝香港回归祖国20周年，举行香港特别行政区第五届政府就职典礼。

Today, we are meeting on this solemn and joyous occasion to both celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland and hold the inaugural ceremony of the fifth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

首先，我代表中央政府和全国各族人民，向全体香港居民，致以诚挚的问候！向新就任的香港特别行政区第五任行政长官林郑月娥女士，向香港特别行政区第五届政府主要官员、行政会议成员，表示热烈的祝贺！向所有关心支持香港的海内外同胞和国际友人，表示衷心的感谢！

First of all, on behalf of the Central Government and the people of all ethnic groups across the country, I wish to extend our cordial greetings to all the people in Hong Kong and our warm congratulations to Madam Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the newly inaugurated fifth-term Chief Executive of the HKSAR, principal officials of the fifth-term HKSAR government and members of the Executive Council. I also express our heartfelt thanks to all our fellow Chinese, both at home and abroad, and foreign friends for their good wishes and support to Hong Kong.

此时此刻，站在经过岁月洗礼、发生沧桑巨变的香江之滨，我们抚今追昔，感慨万千。

Meeting here on the shores of Hong Kong, which have stood the test of time and seen profound changes, we are filled with thoughts and emotions, as we reflect on the extraordinary journey we have taken to get where we are today.

香港的命运从来同祖国紧密相连。近代以后，由于封建统治腐败、国力衰弱，中华民族陷入深重苦难。19世纪40年代初，区区一万多英国远征军的入侵，竟然迫使有80万军队的清朝政府割地赔款、割让香港岛。鸦片战争之后，中国更是一次次被领土幅员和人口规模都远远不如自己的国家打败，九龙、“新界”也在那个时候被迫离开了祖国怀抱。那时的中国历史，写满了民族的屈辱和人民的悲痛。只有当中国共产党领导中国人民经过艰苦卓绝的奋斗赢得民族独立和解放、建立新中国之后，中国人民才真正站立起来，并探索开辟出一条中国特色社会主义光明道路。上世纪70年代末以来，我们进行改革开放，经过近40年努力，开创了中华民族发展崭新局面。

The destiny of Hong Kong has always been intricately bound with that of the motherland. After modern times, with a weak China under corrupt and incompetent feudal rule, the Chinese nation was plunged into deep suffering. In the early 1840s, Britain sent an expeditionary force of a mere 10,000 troops to invade China and got its way in forcing the Qing government, which had an 800,000-strong army, to pay reparations and cede the island of Hong Kong to it. After the Opium War, China was repeatedly defeated by countries which were far smaller in size and population. Kowloon and "New Territories" were forcibly taken away. That page of Chinese history was one of humiliation and sorrow. It was not until the Communist Party of China led the Chinese people to victory in a dauntless and tenacious struggle for national independence and liberation and founded New China that the Chinese people truly stood up and blazed a bright path of socialism with distinctive Chinese features. Thanks to close to four decades of dedicated efforts since the launch of the reform and opening-up policy in the late 1970s, we have entered a new era in the development of the Chinese nation.

在改革开放的历史条件和时代背景下，邓小平先生提出了“一国两制”伟大构想，并以此为指引，通过同英国的外交谈判，顺利解决了历史遗留的香港问题。20年前的今天，香港回到祖国的怀抱，洗刷了民族百年耻辱，完成了实现祖国完全统一的重要一步。香港回归祖国是彪炳中华民族史册的千秋功业，香港从此走上同祖国共同发展、永不分离的宽广道路。

It was against the historical backdrop of reform and opening-up that Mr. Deng Xiaoping put forward the great vision of "One Country, Two Systems", which guided China's diplomatic negotiations with the United Kingdom that led to the successful resolution of the Hong Kong question, an issue that was left over from the past. Twenty years ago today, Hong Kong returned to the embrace of the motherland. This ended past humiliation and marked a major step forward toward the complete reunification of China. Hong Kong's return to the motherland has gone down as a monumental achievement in the history of the Chinese nation. Hong Kong has since then embarked on a journey of unity and common development with the motherland.

同胞们、朋友们！

Fellow Compatriots,

Dear Friends,

斗转星移，岁月如梭。香港已经回归祖国20年。依照中国的传统，男子二十谓之弱冠，今天就是香港特别行政区的成年礼，正所谓“如竹苞矣，如松茂矣”。回首香港特别行政区的成长历程，我们可以自豪地说，20年来，香港依托祖国、面向世界、益以新创，不断塑造自己的现代化风貌，“一国两制”在香港的实践取得了举世公认的成功。

Time flies fast! It has been 20 years since Hong Kong's return to the motherland. According to China's tradition, a man enters adulthood at the age of 20. So today, we are celebrating the coming of age of the HKSAR, which has grown exuberant like a bamboo or a pine tree. Looking back at the HKSAR's growth, we can proudly conclude that thanks to the support of the motherland and with an international vision and an innovative spirit, Hong Kong has in the last two decades continued to develop itself as a modern metropolis. The practice of "One Country, Two Systems" in Hong Kong is a success story recognized by all.

回到祖国怀抱的香港已经融入中华民族伟大复兴的壮阔征程。作为直辖于中央政府的一个特别行政区，香港从回归之日起，重新纳入国家治理体系。中央政府依照宪法和香港特别行政区基本法对香港实行管治，与之相应的特别行政区制度和体制得以确立。香港同祖国内地的联系越来越紧密，交流合作越来越深化。香港各界人士积极投身国家改革开放和现代化建设，作出独特而重要的贡献。香港同胞对国家发展和民族复兴的信心不断增强，同内地人民共享伟大祖国的尊严和荣耀。

Since its return to the motherland, Hong Kong has joined the remarkable journey toward the great renewal of the Chinese nation. As a special administrative region directly under the Central Government, Hong Kong has been re-integrated into China's national governance system since the very day of its return. The Central Government exercises jurisdiction over Hong Hong in accordance with China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR, and corresponding systems and institutions have been set up for the special administrative region. Hong Kong's ties with the mainland have grown increasingly close, so have its interactions and cooperation with the mainland. The people of Hong Kong have played an active part in China's reform, opening-up and modernization drive and made their unique and important contribution to this endeavor. They have ever stronger confidence in China's development and national renewal, and share with the people on the mainland the dignity and honor of our great motherland.

回到祖国怀抱的香港继续保持繁荣稳定。回归后，香港自身特色和优势得以保持，中西合璧的风采浪漫依然，活力之都的魅力更胜往昔。在“一国两制”之下，香港原有资本主义制度和生活方式保持不变，法律基本不变。香港同胞当家作主，自行管理特别行政区自治范围内事务，香港居民享有比历史上任何时候都更广泛的民主权利和自由。香港抵御了亚洲金融危机、非典疫情、国际金融危机的冲击，巩固了国际金融、航运、贸易中心地位，继续被众多国际机构评选为全球最自由经济体和最具竞争力的地区之一。香港各项事业取得长足进步，对外交往日益活跃，国际影响进一步扩大。

Since its return to the motherland, Hong Kong has maintained prosperity and stability. Hong Kong has kept its distinct features and strengths. Its allure of being a vibrant metropolis where the East meets the West has remained as strong as ever. Under the practice of "One Country, Two Systems", Hong Kong has retained its previous capitalist system and way of life, and its laws have remained basically unchanged. The people of Hong Kong, now masters of their own house, run their local affairs within the purview of autonomy of the HKSAR. The people of Hong Kong enjoy more extensive democratic rights and freedoms than at any other time in its history. Having withstood the impact of the Asian financial crisis, the SARS epidemic and the global financial crisis, Hong Kong has emerged stronger as an international financial, shipping and trading center; and it has been consistently rated by many international institutions as one of the freest economies and most competitive regions in the world. Hong Kong has made substantial advances in various programs, increased external interactions and raised its international profile.

实践充分证明，“一国两制”是历史遗留的香港问题的最佳解决方案，也是香港回归后保持长期繁荣稳定的最佳制度安排，是行得通、办得到、得人心的。

What has happened in Hong Kong fully demonstrates that the concept of "One Country, Two Systems" provides the best solution to the historical question of Hong Kong and the best institutional arrangement to ensure Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability after its return. "One Country, Two Systems" has proved to be a workable solution welcomed by the people.

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