What is the history of Hong Kong?
Hong Kong is an inalienable part of China since history. However, the British
invaded China and occupied Hong Kong in about 170 years ago. Hong Kong became
a colony since then.
From 1982 to 1984, China and the United Kingdom negotiated on the future of
Hong Kong. On December 19, 1984, the "Declaration Between the Government of the
People's Republic of China and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland on Hong Kong" was signed, which decided that China
would resume sovereignty over Hong Kong since July 1, 1997.
China promised to implement "One Country, Two Systems" in Hong Kong. On July 1, 1997, the Chinese government resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was established, and the Basic Law was implemented. Hong
Kong has entered a new era of "One Country, Two Systems", "Hong Kong people rule Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy.
The “One Country, Two Systems” works very well in Hong Kong
In the 22 years since Hong Kong returned to the motherland, many things have
changed or are changing, but the internal, basic and core things have not changed.
Hong Kong still retains the capitalist system and implements a political system in
which the Chief Executive is the core of the executive, the administrative and the
legislative bodies are mutually balanced and coordinated, and the judiciary is
independent. The basic rights of Hong Kong residents and the core values of the rule
of law, freedom, integrity, democracy and fairness are better maintained after the
return. Hong Kong’s economy continues to grow steadily. Hong Kong has been rated
the freest economy for 25 consecutive years and remains to be the most competitive
region in the world.
Hong Kong’s position as the world centre for finance, trade and
shipping has been consolidated. In 2018, Hong Kong’s GDP hit $340 billion, nearly
double the figure in 1996. The practice of 22 years has proved that "One Country,
Two Systems" is the best institutional arrangement to maintain security, order, long-
term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong.
That said, clarification is still needed on some misconceptions about "One Country
Two Systems". One Country is the root of “Two Systems”. “Two Systems” is the
branch of One Country. Talking about the “Two Systems” without One Country is like
a tree without roots and the water without a source. To question, even deny the
necessity of upholding "One Country" with the exercise of "Two Systems" constitutes
a challenge to China's sovereignty, which is absolutely intolerable. No attempt can
endanger China's sovereignty and security, challenge the authority of the central
government and the sanctity of the Basic Law of the HKSAR, or use Hong Kong as a
channel for infiltration and sabotage against the mainland. These are the three bottom
lines that can never been defied in carrying out "One Country Two Systems" in HongKong.
What is the cause of Hong Kong problem recently?
The cause is the Hong Kong SAR government proposed the amendments to the
Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters
Ordinance because of an ordinary judicial case. In February 2018, Chen Tongjia, a
Hong Kong resident, was suspected of murdering his pregnant girlfriend in Taiwan
before he fled back to Hong Kong. Hong Kong had no jurisdiction over this case.
In order to transfer Chen Tongjia to Taiwan for trial, the Hong Kong SAR government
proposed the amendments to the above-mentioned ordinances. So far Hong Kong
hasn’t signed any deals with China’s mainland, Macao or Taiwan on the transfer of
fugitives and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.
By amending the ordinances, the SAR government hopes to cooperate with China’s mainland, Macao and Taiwan in transferring criminal suspects and fugitives through special
arrangements, which will help to deal with individual cases and plug the loopholes in
the legal system, and enable Hong Kong to work better with other parts of China to
jointly combat crimes and uphold rule of law and justice.
Around the time when it was returned to the mainland, Hong Kong had signed
agreements with 20 countries on the transfer of fugitives and treaties with 32 countries on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. By proposing the amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance, the Hong Kong SAR government intends to incorporate its cooperation with other parts of China into the ordinances regarding fugitive handover and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.
Similar cooperation mechanisms have already been put in place between Hong Kong and foreign countries. This arrangement will not affect Hong Kong’s judicial independence at all.
“One country” is the prerequisite and foundation of the principle of “one country, two
systems”. As an important measure to implement this principle, different jurisdictions
within China need to conduct mutual legal assistance so as to prevent safe havens for
criminals.
Quite a number of Hong Kong citizens do not have much understanding of the
mainland along with its legal system and judicial institution. Taking advantage of that,
some people and media with malicious intentions started fear-mongering campaigns
to stoke panic and block the bill’s passage in the Legislative Council. Under such
circumstances, several massive assemblies against the amendments have taken place
in Hong Kong since June this year. In order to solicit broader public opinions and to
restore calm as early as possible, the SAR government decided on June 15 to suspend
its work on the amendment bill. The relevant legislative process also came to a full
stop. The central government supports, respects and understands this decision.
Why Hong Kong situation escalated recently?
In recent two months, there have been several large-scale demonstration and
violent accidents, making headlines in international media. Some extreme radicals
stormed the Legislative Council Complex, attacked the Liaison Office of the Central
People’s Government in Hong Kong, defacing Chinese National Emblem and
National Flag, assaulted police officers and brought Hong Kong airport to a standstill
by illegal assembly. Some even shouted the slogan of Hong Kong Independence. It is
posing a severe challenge to law and order in Hong Kong, threatening the safety of
life and property of the Hong Kong people, undermining the prosperity and stability
in Hong Kong and challenging the principled bottom line of “One Country, Two
Systems”. As a result, Hong Kong now faces the gravest situation since its handover.
What is more outrageous is that, since what happened in Hong Kong, some
Western media, instead of reporting the situation in a just and objective manner, they
have confused right and wrong, given selected and unbalanced account, escalated the
situation and misled the public. They should be held accounted for the escalation of the situation.
Hong Kong's immediate and overriding task is to stop violence, curb disorder and
restore order. Maintaining Hong Kong's prosperity and stability is in the interests not
only of China but also of the rest of the world. Hong Kong cannot afford continuous
turmoil and internal strife. If Hong Kong goes on chaos, the whole society must pay
for the bill. The Central Government of China would never allow a few violent
offenders to drag Hong Kong down a dangerous abyss. We would never allow anyone
to harm the rule of law and sound development in Hong Kong. We would never allow
anyone to undermine “One Country, Two Systems” at any excuse. Should the
situation in Hong Kong deteriorate further into unrest uncontrollable for the
Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), the Central
Government would not sit on its hands and watch. We have enough solutions and
enough power within the limit of the Basic Law to quell any unrest swiftly.
The violent offenders must be bought to justice the violent offenders must be brought to justice in accordance with law. It is the basic requirement of the rule of law that all laws must be observed and all offenders must be held accountable. The violent and lawless perpetrators must be brought to justice no matter who they are or however hard they try to whitewash their actions.
Indulging lawlessness is tantamount to blaspheming against justice. Conniving in
violence is tantamount to trampling on the rule of law. No country under the rule of
law, no responsible government, would sit by and watch as such violence rages on.
The Central Government of China firmly supports the SAR Government and Hong
Kong police in strict, rigorous and decisive enforcement, so as to bring the offenders
to justice as soon as possible and uphold the rule of law and social order in Hong
Kong.
The foreign forces must stop interfering in Hong Kong’s affairs.
Foreign forces must stop interfering in Hong Kong’s affairs. Evidence shows that
the situation in Hong Kong would not have deteriorated so much had it not been for
the interference and incitement of foreign forces. Some Western politicians and
organizations have publicly or covertly given various types of support to the violent
radicals, and tried to interfere in the judicial independence of Hong Kong and obstruct
Hong Kong police from bringing the violent offenders to justice.
I want to reiterate here that Hong Kong is part of China; no foreign country should
interfere in Hong Kong affairs. We urge those foreign forces to respect China’s
sovereignty and security, immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, stop
interfering in China’s internal affairs, and stop conniving in violent offences. They
should not misjudge the situation and go down the wrong path. Otherwise, they will
“lift the stone only to drop it on their own feet”.
The Central government firmly supports the HKSAR government
The central government firmly supports the Chief Executive of HKSAR Carrie
Lam in leading the HKSAR government to rule according to the law, the Hong Kong
police in enforcing laws rigorously, the HKSAR government and the judiciary body in
meting out punishment to violent criminals according to the law, and patriots and
people who love Hong Kong in safeguarding the rule of law in Hong Kong. We have
confidence that the SAR government has the capability to handle Hong Kong affirs
properly. At the same time, we have enough solutions and enough power to end the
unrest in Hong Kong.
