The Catholic teaching affirms the duty of loving one's country, Bishop Stephen Chow says.

He also said being patriotic means the people's dignity should come first.

"What is the greatest asset of a country? Without a doubt, it is its people. Hence, loving one’s country means loving those living in the country, especially its citizens and residents," the head of the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese wrote in an article in the Sunday Examiner published on Friday.

"As for the Church, her greatest asset in this world should not be church buildings but the People of God.

"Love is better to have concrete subjects, not remaining notional. Therefore, loving our country means the dignity of its people should come first."

He also told the Catholic newspaper, "The Catholic Church loves the people of the mainland and Hong Kong. We also want the government to improve and give a listening ear for dialogue."

The bishop recently paid a visit to the mainland, marking the first time a local Catholic leader has made such a trip since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

"We need to journey with one another with good intentions, and this is a good start. It is a long road ahead, and we need to continue to discern," Chow said.

He said he hopes that the Diocese of Hong Kong and its Beijing counterpart will "continue to walk together with mutual love and complementarity".