Solemn vow: Upon being sworn in as third-term Chief Executive for the HKSARG, Donald Tsang (left) pledges to President Hu Jintao that he will do his utmost to get his job done in the best interests of Hong Kong and the country.

President Hu Jintao has sworn in Chief Executive Donald Tsang and the new lineup of Principal Officials at the third-term HKSAR Government inauguration ceremony.

The Chief Executive then swore in Executive Council members, at the event at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre this morning.

About 2,000 guests attended the ceremony, including Central Government representatives, members of the Executive and Legislative Councils, Hong Kong delegates to the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, political and economic figures, personalities from social circles, senior executives of Hong Kong-based Chinese enterprises, and the foreign diplomatic corps.

In his address, Mr Tsnag once again extended his gratitude to the Central People's Government and the people of Hong Kong for their staunch support. He pledged "to do my utmost to get my job done in the best interests of Hong Kong and our country, as I promised during my election campaign.

"Hong Kong is where I grew up. I have always believed in this city and in the drive and diligence of our people to strive for excellence and to do their best. This spirit of 'getting the job done' is an innate quality of our community. We should never underestimate this spirit," he said.

"Over the past ten years, this spirit has led us to overcome each and every challenge that has come our way and allowed us to continue to move forward. The competition ahead is fierce. We are not only competing with neighbouring cities, but with cities around the world. If we embrace our professionalism, there is no reason for us to doubt our strengths."

Building a new Hong Kong

In the next five years, Mr Tsang expressed his hope of building a new Hong Kong together with the people based on the spirit of professionalism they share. He noted that while Hong Kong is not the biggest city in China, it can be the best - "the best city to bring up children; the best city to enjoy life; and, the best city to create wealth for both the people of Hong Kong and those of our country."

Achieving these goals will not be easy, the Chief Executive warned. Hong Kong's success has been founded on the hard work of past generations, and the opportunities brought about by the country's rapid development.

"Over the next five years, Hong Kong needs to transform itself. We must fully realise the potential of our people, and enhance our strengths, by tapping into the opportunities created by our country's rapid economic development. Hong Kong can contribute even more to our country, and scale new heights," he said.

People-based governance key

The next-term Government, he added, would be solely committed to adhering to the principle of people-based governance and to delivering on the pledges he had made in his election platform.

He aims to:

* build a government that is more open - "the public will not only be the focus of our policies, the public will be our partners in devising them";

* develop a system that is more democratic - a green paper will be published this year, so that we can all work together to identify the most acceptable mode of universal suffrage to best serve the interests of Hong Kong;

* promote a new mode of economic development - the financial sector will be expanded and investment in infrastructure will be increased to drive wage increases and create more job opportunities for grassroots workers;

* create a better quality of life - "our people deserve to enjoy clean food, clean air, a beautiful environment and the protection of our heritage"; and

* promote a new caring culture - there are many in society who are still unable to benefit from our strong economic revival and are facing tremendous pressure in their daily lives. The Government will invest more in community development projects to create jobs through social enterprises and bring hope to less advantaged groups.

Mutual benefits derive from 'One country, two systems'

Mr Tsang recalled the benefits derived since Hong Kong returned to the motherland under the innovative concept of 'One country, two systems'.

"Over the past decade, we, as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, have witnessed our country's marvelous achievements in areas such as the economy, foreign affairs, social affairs, culture and sports - all a result of independent innovation and ability. We are no longer bystanders, but active participants. We have benefited from the process, but also contributed to it," he said.

"Hong Kong needs our country, and our country also needs us.The greatest contribution we can make to our nation is to ensure the full implementation of 'One country, two systems' and 'Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong' under the Basic Law, harnessing the creativity brought about through the interaction of the two systems and making the best of the advantages of our own systems, to bring a greater momentum for the advancement of both the country and Hong Kong.

"If we can accomplish this, I am most confident that the next 10 years will be a glorious decade shared by both our country and Hong Kong."

He urged people "to aspire to achieve greater things for our country, without forgetting the pragmatic attitude on which our city's success has been founded. Together, let us embark upon a new journey for a new decade."