HONG KONG, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government held a flag-raising ceremony and a reception Sunday to celebrate the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

China's national flag and the HKSAR flag were hoisted, and the national anthem was played at the Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong on Sunday morning. Helicopters carrying the national and HKSAR flags flew over Victoria Harbor in celebration.

Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Leung Chun-ying, HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee, officials of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, the Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR, and the Hong Kong Garrison of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and prominent figures from various sectors in Hong Kong attended the ceremony.

When addressing the reception, Lee said on the journey to building China into a great country and realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the motherland remains steadfast in opening up to the world and pursuing high-quality development, bringing unlimited opportunities to Hong Kong.

On the way forward, Hong Kong should continue to leverage, under "one country, two systems," its distinctive advantages of enjoying the motherland's strong support and being closely connected to the world, actively integrate into the country's overall development, and dovetail with the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development, the Belt and Road Initiative and so on, Lee said.

"Let's be united and work together for the building of China into a great country through Chinese modernization, for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and for the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong," he said.