Jiang, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made the remark in a meeting with Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) at the Macao Cultural Center.

The meeting was held prior to a grand gathering hosted by the Macao SAR government to mark the first anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland.

Jiang arrived in Macao Tuesday afternoon to attend the anniversary celebrations, and Tung arrived a bit earlier Tuesday for the same purpose.

During the meeting, Jiang said it has been a common issue for the central government and the two SAR governments to well handle relations between the two sides under the "one country, two systems" principle, so as to ensure substantial implementation of the principles of "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong," "Macao people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy, and to maintain the prosperity, stability and development in Hong Kong and Macao.

He expressed his hope that the SAR governments and the people of Hong Kong and Macao would sum up and accumulate their experience from the practice and increase their sense of mission and responsibility.

He also hoped that major government officials and government departments in the Hong Kong SAR would make concerted efforts and display team spirit to well administer the SAR, under the leadership of Tung.

Describing Hong Kong and Macao as close neighbors and brothers, Jiang said the two SARs are both enjoying a high degree of autonomy in accordance with the "one country, two systems" guideline.

The president hoped the two SARs would join hands in their development, support and learn from each other, and take advantage of each other's strengths for common development.

"This not only accords with the need for the development of the two SARs but also meets the requirements for the development of the country as a whole," he stressed.

Accompanying Jiang at the meeting were Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice-Premier Qian Qichen, CMC Member and Director of the General Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Yu Yongbo, Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee Wang Gang, and Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Liao Hui.

Also present were Chief Justice Andrew Kwok-nang Li, Chief Secretary for Administration Anson Chan and other senior officials of the Hong Kong SAR government.

Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Macao SAR chief executive, was also present at the meeting.

Hong Kong returned to the motherland on July 1, 1997, while Macao became the second SAR of China on December 20, 1999. Jiang attended both ceremonies to declare China's resuming of its exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and Macao.

(Xinhua 12/20/2000)