ISTANBUL

China’s President Xi Jinping on Monday called for a “new chapter” in Hong Kong under new leader John Lee.

Xi’s remarks came during a meeting with Lee in Beijing after the incoming Hong Kong chief executive received his official letter of appointment from Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

Lee, 64, a former security chief who oversaw a crackdown on protests in Hong Kong in 2019, was elected as the next chief executive earlier this month.

He was the lone contender for the top post.

Lee, who reached the Chinese capital on Saturday on a four-day visit, will succeed Carrie Lam when he officially takes over on July 1.

“Despite experiencing many challenges in the past 25 years, One Country, Two Systems in Hong Kong has achieved universally recognized success,” Xi told Lee during the meeting, a video of which was shared by Hong Kong’s official broadcaster RTHK.

“The central government’s determination in comprehensively and accurately implementing the principle has never wavered, and will never change.”

He said Hong Kong has “returned from chaos to stability” due to the joint efforts of the Chinese government and the administration of the semi-autonomous region.

“Now we are at a critical period on moving towards prosperity. I believe the new administration’s governance will certainly bring a new atmosphere and write a new chapter for the city’s development,” the Chinese president said.

Hong Kong witnessed unprecedented anti-government protests in 2019 over a now-binned extradition bill, which were quelled with a forceful crackdown by Lam’s administration and led to Beijing imposing a controversial national security law the next year to criminalize whatever it views as anti-state activities.

Hong Kong was under British control until 1997, when it was handed back to Beijing under a system that ensured it remained an autonomous region with its own constitution.

In his meeting with the new chief executive, Chinese Premier Li reaffirmed that Beijing will “continue to implement the One Country, Two Systems principle comprehensively and accurately.”

Beijing will also, said Li, “exercise its jurisdiction over the territory and the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong.”

Lee assured the premier that he will honor the trust placed in him by the central government and fulfill the expectations of the people of Hong Kong.

“At this important moment of the 25th anniversary marking Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, I deeply understand that I am shouldering important responsibilities,” he said.