QINGDAO - Margaret Chan, honorary director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), has called on people in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to engage in dialogues to seek solutions to current problems.

Chan, also former director-general of the WHO, made the appeal in an address on Saturday at the World Association of Chinese Doctors Annual Conference 2019.

Only through dialogues in a calm manner can people from various sectors find solutions and narrow the divisions in Hong Kong, said Chan at the conference held in eastern Chinese city of Qingdao.

Chan, who was born in Hong Kong, said she has been very concerned and felt heartsore to see the recent turmoil in Hong Kong.

Citing her 14-year experience at the WHO, Chan pointed out that countries that had undergone color revolutions would always end up in bad conditions.

In her address, she also called on Hong Kong people from all walks of life to oppose violence and turmoil through various channels and step forward to safeguard their home.

On Sunday, Cheung Kin-chung, the Hong Kong SAR government's chief secretary for administration, said that the SAR government hopes to seek solutions to problems through sincere dialogues.

"The SAR government hopes to engage in sincere dialogues with people from all walks of life and with different political stands and backgrounds, so as to more thoroughly understand the deep-seated problems in the society, seek solutions and push Hong Kong forward," Cheung Kin-chung said in a blog article published on the official website of the Chief Secretary for Administration.