The task is arduous, says Wen. Don't let us down, says Hu. I'll do what the country asks of me: Tsang

State leaders exhorted Donald Tsang Yam-kuen to make 'new contributions' to Hong Kong's stability and prosperity after his swearing in yesterday as chief executive in Beijing's Great Hall of the People.

Premier Wen Jiabao and President Hu Jintao said they hoped Tung Chee-hwa's successor would live up to the expectations of the mainland and the Hong Kong people.

Mr Tsang assured his hosts he would spare no effort to do what the country wanted for Hong Kong. He will serve for less than two years before giving way to a successor or being selected for a full five-year term.

At a meeting with Mr Hu after the brief ceremony, the president told Mr Tsang the central government had a high degree of trust in him and high expectations of him.

'I hope you live up to the expectations, discharge your duty conscientiously, and go all out to make new contributions to the prosperity, stability and development of Hong Kong.'

Earlier, Mr Wen told the 61-year-old former civil servant: 'I believe that at this moment, the high hopes and expectations of the country and all the Hong Kong people are more important than congratulations.'

The premier cited a passage from The Analects of Confucius as an encouragement to Mr Tsang: 'A scholar must not be without scope and persistence, for his task is arduous and the road ahead is long.'