China on Friday restated its confidence for the long-term prosperity and stability of its Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), saying the 14th Five-Year Plan will provide the city greater competitive advantages.

Speaking during a press conference to introduce the guiding principles of the fifth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Han Wenxiu, deputy director of the Office of the Central Economic and Financial Affairs Commission, said Hong Kong, as an economy that enjoys a highest degree of freedom, has unique development advantages.

He also called on Hong Kong to fully implement the 'One Country Two System' and enhance exchanges with the Chinese mainland.

Hong Kong can surely maintain its long-term prosperity and stability as long as it steps up its integration with the mainland, Han added.

Earlier, he noted that China is currently in an important period of strategic development, and despite the changing external environment, it is still capable of securing stable development thanks to the strong leadership of the CPC with General Secretary Xi Jinping at the core.

Han urged people to be mindful of both opportunities and crises as sometimes opportunities can emerge from crises.