BEIJING, July 3, 2022
/PRNewswire/ -- A joyful and exciting sentiment was widely shared
on Friday not only in Hong Kong,
despite the wind and rain, but also in the Chinese mainland and
beyond the country on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the
city's return to the motherland. Hong
Kong is embarking on a new journey of transition from chaos
to order and to greater prosperity. Local officials and observers
said the city has entered its best time.
While Hong Kong residents
shared high expectations as the city was reborn from the chaos and
difficulties with firm support from the central government,
President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech, summarizing the
practice of the "one country, two systems" principle, pointing out
a clear direction for Hong Kong's
future, and injecting confidence and momentum for its growth.
In a speech delivered at the ceremony celebrating the 25th
anniversary of Hong Kong's return
to the motherland and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term
government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR),
Xi said the "one country, two systems" principle has withstood the
test of practice and time, and been supported by all Chinese people
and recognized by the international community.
The principle is an unprecedented great initiative, and its
fundamental purpose is to safeguard national sovereignty, security
and development interests, and maintain the long-term prosperity
and stability of Hong Kong and
Macao, Xi noted. There is no
reason to change a good system, and it must be upheld for a long
time.
'One country' as top priority
Xi's remarks about upholding the "one country, two systems" drew
warm applause during the meeting. As long as the "one country"
principle is further strengthened, the advantages of the "two
systems" will be further underscored.
By reaffirming the purpose and the essence of the successful
practice of the "one country, two systems," including advancing the
country's reunification and safeguarding the sovereignty, security
and development interests while maintaining the capitalist system
of Hong Kong to boost its
prosperity, Xi's speech signaled that the "one country, two
systems" is in line with the fundamental interests of the country
and of Hong Kong, and will be
fully and correctly implemented in the long run.
Experts said it means that this principle won't be abandoned
because of difficulties encountered, easing the doubts and
reassuring the public following the ups and downs that the city
went through, particularly after the social turmoil in 2019
severely affected the constitutional order of the city.
"To summarize the experiences of the past 25 years, the
essential requirement for the successful practice of the 'one
country, two systems' would be to uphold the principle 'one
country' and implement the idea of the nation," Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of the Chinese
Association of Hong Kong and Macao
Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.
"Without the idea of 'one country' and respect of the
Constitution, the 'one country, two systems' won't succeed," Lau
said.
Only under "one country" can the constitutional order built on
the Constitution and the Basic Law be safeguarded, the
Communist Party of China-led
socialist political system be guarded, and the power of the central
government be respected, so that the city would smoothly integrate
into the country's overall development plan, and some deep-seated
problems in Hong Kong can be
fixed, he added.
Clear direction
Over the past 25 years, Hong
Kong withstood a number of challenges, including the
financial crisis, the COVID-19 epidemic and the severe social
turmoil, with the help of the central government and under the "one
country, two systems." Some in Hong
Kong are unsure about the city's future after 2047, as the
principle stipulated that Hong
Kong's capitalist system and way of life shall remain
unchanged for 50 years after returning to the motherland.
Standing at the mid-point of the practice of the "one country,
two systems," "those people are reassured by Xi's message,"
Tam Yiu-chung, a member of the NPC
Standing Committee from Hong Kong,
told the Global Times on Friday. "As the principle is praised as a
good system, Xi gave a clear answer that there's no need to change
it, easing some doubts in Hong
Kong and pointing out the direction for the city."
"Even if it's a long journey for practicing the 'one country,
two systems,' as long as Hong Kong
does not waver and walks forward firmly with the country, there
will certainly be good results," Regina Ip
Lau Suk-yee, convener of the Executive Council meeting and
lawmaker, told the Global Times on Friday.
The practice of the "one country, two systems" will continue
steadily, she said.
During his speech, Xi laid out some fundamental requirements for
practicing the "one country, two systems," saying that safeguarding
national sovereignty, security and development interests is the top
principle of the "one country, two systems." The CPC-led socialism
with Chinese characteristics should be respected and safeguarded by
all the residents including those in SARs.
The central government also has full governance over the SARs,
which is the origin of their high degree of autonomy. Only when the
full governance of the central government and the high degree of
the SAR coordinate with each other will the SAR be well governed,
Xi said.
The national security law for Hong
Kong was formulated and the electoral system was reformed
and improved to ensure only patriots govern Hong Kong. The democratic system in
Hong Kong is in line with the "one
country, two systems" principle and the constitutional status of
Hong Kong, and is conducive to
safeguarding the democratic rights of Hong Kong residents, Xi said.
On the principle of only patriots governing Hong Kong, Xi said no country or region in the
world will allow unpatriotic or even traitorous or treasonous
forces and figures to take power. To keep the power to administer
the HKSAR firmly in the hands of patriots is essential for
safeguarding the long-term stability and security of Hong Kong, and it must not be shaken at any
time, he said.
The practice of the "one country, two systems" has been part of
our country's governance, and standing at the critical point amid a
rapidly changing geopolitical environment, the practice of the
principle successfully conveys the significance for the country's
rejuvenation including solving the Taiwan question, Li Xiaobing, an expert on
Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan affairs at Nankai University, told the
Global Times.
"The purpose of designing the 'one country, two systems' is to
realize national rejuvenation," Li said, noting that in advancing
the "one country, two systems" practice in the future, the
realization of national rejuvenation will always be its
essence.
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SOURCE Global Times