John Lee on Friday thanked the central government for appointing him as the sixth-term chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

The State Council made the decision of appointment at a meeting on Friday.

"I am deeply honored by the appointment and fully aware of the great responsibility upon me. I shall shoulder my mission with loyalty and perseverance," Lee said in a statement.

He pledges to live up to the expectations of the central government and the people of Hong Kong and do his utmost to lead the new-term HKSAR government to comprehensively and accurately implement the principle of "One Country, Two Systems," "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong," and a high degree of autonomy in accordance with the Basic Law of the HKSAR.

Lee also said he will rise to the challenges ahead at his best, strive to help the needy, unite the society, and build a Hong Kong with vibrancy, hope, and opportunities as well as a caring and inclusive culture.

Lee won the HKSAR chief executive election on May 8. He will assume office on July 1, 2022.

The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR on Friday extended congratulations to Lee after he was appointed by the central government.

A spokesperson for the office said in a statement that Lee will surely lead the new HKSAR government and unite people from all walks of life to break new ground in Hong Kong's development.

Since his election victory by an overwhelming majority, Lee has been busy enriching and improving his policy agenda, and maintaining close communication with the current-term HKSAR governance team on issues such as economic development and people's livelihood, the spokesperson noted.

The liaison office will fully support Lee and the HKSAR government in exercising law-based governance, fully and faithfully implementing the principle of "One Country, Two Systems," and leading Hong Kong to embark on a journey of progressing from order to prosperity, the spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on Friday expressed sincere congratulation to Lee.

Lee has been working in multiple positions in the HKSAR government for a long time. He is patriotic, loves Hong Kong, maintains a firm stance, knows government operations well, has a strong sense of responsibility and is pragmatic and capable. He has won the endorsement from a broad spectrum of people in Hong Kong and a high degree of trust from the central government, the spokesperson said.

The next five years will be crucial for Hong Kong as it has transited from chaos to order and is advancing to prosperity, said the spokesperson, adding that the new chief executive and the new term of the HKSAR government shoulder great responsibility and missions.

The spokesperson also expressed the confidence that Lee would form a patriotic, capable and united team that is dedicated to serving the people and will lead Hong Kong to write a new chapter of development.

The central government will adhere to the principle of "One Country, Two Systems" under which the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy, give its full support to the law-based governance of the HKSAR chief executive and the government, and support Hong Kong's COVID-19 response, economic growth, and people's livelihood improvement, said the spokesperson. 

(With input from Xinhua)