BEIJING -- Xi Jinping on Sunday stressed upholding and improving the policy of One Country, Two Systems.

"The policy of One Country, Two Systems is a great innovation of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It has proven to be the best institutional arrangement for ensuring sustained prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao after their return to the motherland," Xi said in a report at the opening session of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

"This policy must be adhered to over the long term," he said.

"We will fully, faithfully, and resolutely implement the policy of One Country, Two Systems, under which the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong and the people of Macao administer Macao, both with a high degree of autonomy. We will remain committed to law-based governance in Hong Kong and Macao," Xi said.

"We will ensure that the central government exercises overall jurisdiction over the two regions. We will see that Hong Kong and Macao are administered by patriots," he said.

"We will support Hong Kong and Macao in growing their economies, improving their people's lives, and resolving deep-seated issues and problems in economic and social development, and promote long-term prosperity and stability in the two special administrative regions," Xi said.

"We will support Hong Kong and Macao in better integrating themselves into China's overall development and playing a greater role in realizing national rejuvenation," he said.

"We will ensure both the central government's overall jurisdiction and a high degree of autonomy in the special administrative regions," according to the report.

The central authorities will uphold executive-led government in Hong Kong and Macao and support the chief executives and governments of the two regions in exercising law-based administration, enhancing their overall governance and management capacity, and improving their judicial and legal systems, the report said.

"We will inspire more people in Hong Kong and Macao to love both the country and their own regions, be more patriotic, and forge a broader united front at home and abroad in support of the One Country, Two Systems policy," it said.

"We will crack down hard on anti-China elements who attempt to create chaos in Hong Kong and Macao. We will take resolute action to prevent and stop interference in the affairs of Hong Kong and Macao by external forces," the report said.