Luo Huining, the central government's top liaison official in Hong Kong, said the implementation of "one country, two systems "has entered a new phase in the special administrative region, and a promising future will be in store for the SAR and its people.

Delivering a virtual speech on Wednesday for the upcoming Chinese New Year, Luo said the city has taken on a brand-new look during the past year, following the implementation of the National Security Law and the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong", as well as improvements to the electoral system.

He also recalled some impressive moments he experienced during the past year in Hong Kong, such as the vibrant celebratory mood during the centenary of the Communist Party of China, the elections of new lawmakers and Election Council members under the revamped electoral system, the solemn national flag-raising ceremonies in schools, and his face-to-face communications with people at the grassroots.

Over the past 25 years, Hong Kong has encountered a multitude of challenges, including the onslaught of a major pandemic and economic crises, the noxious politics of "mutual destruction", and persistent attempts by some people to misdirect the course of democratic development and destabilize Hong Kong, Luo said.

However, under the strong leadership of the CPC and with the firm support of the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong has surmounted these challenges and held its ground, he added.

Noting that such a development track justifies confidence in "one country, two systems", he stressed that the principle devised by the Party is a sound arrangement.

Looking ahead, he said, the key to Hong Kong's development still lies in resolutely integrating into national development.

Saying that Hong Kong's unique advantages and competitiveness remain intact, Luo also mentioned that the central authorities have attached even greater importance to the SAR in the new stage. It has been incorporated into a number of national strategic plans and offered more platforms for its integration into national planning.

Pointing out that Hong Kong is enjoying more favorable conditions and opportunities than ever before, Luo also cautioned that to achieve good governance in the new situation, more attention must be paid to improving corresponding mechanisms and addressing deep-seated contradictions and problems.

He added that these endeavors depend not only on the initiative of Hong Kong's governing team, but also on the collective efforts of the community.

After Luo's speech, many civic leaders in Hong Kong shared their feelings on social media platforms, saying that it was encouraging and enlightening.

Leung Chun-ying, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, noted that over the past year he has been deeply engaged in cross-boundary collaboration, during which he observed that Hong Kong still has many unique advantages in the nation's new stage of development.

He said that if Hong Kong maintains a stable social environment and actively embraces national development, the city's future will definitely be brighter.

Lau Siu-kai, a sociologist and vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said that Hong Kong's experience in the past few years proved that to overcome problems that occurred in implementing "one country, two systems" and achieve greater development, the central government's jurisdiction over Hong Kong and the SAR's autonomy must be closely combined.

Expressing a positive outlook about the central government's greater support for Hong Kong, Lau hoped the SAR could better leverage these favorable conditions to achieve new successes.