HONG KONG, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- China's Constitution has been providing guarantees for the country's 40 years of reform and opening up as well as the successful implementation of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), speakers said at a forum held here on Tuesday, the fifth Constitution Day of China.

The public education forum, themed "The Constitution and the Reform and Opening Up", was attended by government officials, law scholars, and over 300 students from several Hong Kong secondary schools.

China's current Constitution, adopted on Dec. 4, 1982, has been providing legal guarantees for the country's reform and opening-up drive, Shen Chunyao, head of the Commission for Legislative Affairs of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said in the keynote speech.

Shen, also head of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee under the NPC Standing Committee, pointed out that the Constitution, which has supreme legal status in China, provides legislative basis and serves as the source of validity for the HKSAR Basic Law.

The Constitution and the Basic Law together form the constitutional basis of the HKSAR, thus making upholding the two laws an integral part of the implementation of "one country, two systems", he said, calling for continuous public education on the Constitution and the Basic Law in Hong Kong.

HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam said at the forum that the HKSAR government has an "absolute responsibility" for promoting a comprehensive understanding of the Constitution and the Basic Law in Hong Kong society since they provide legal basis for the country's basic policies regarding the HKSAR.

China has made great achievements during the 40 years of reform and opening-up, and Hong Kong was a witness, participant, contributor as well as beneficiary in this process, said Lam, adding that Hong Kong should continue upholding "one country, two systems" and take an active part in the country's future economic, political, cultural, social, ecological development.

Wang Zhimin, director of the central government's liaison office in the HKSAR, said that the Constitution will continue providing fundamental guarantees for furthering the drive of reform and opening up as well as "one country, two systems" as China is entering a new era of development.

He hailed the forum for offering Hong Kong citizens, especially young people, an opportunity to have a deeper understanding of relations between the Constitution, the Basic Law and "one country, two systems" principle.

China's top legislature decided in 2014 to designate Dec. 4 as national Constitution Day amid efforts to enhance public awareness of the document's implementation. Hong Kong held its first public education forum on the Constitution Day last year.