When the then State leader Deng Xiaoping spoke about the return of Hong Kong to China after 150 years of British colonial rule, he suggested that the arrangement of “one country two systems” would be for 50 years…and beyond.
Some 25 years later, director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, Shen Chunyao, reiterated that Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” governing principle will not change after 2047.
“The principle of one country, two systems will undergo a long-term and steady development if the empirical experience proves it is successful, effective and popular,” said Shen, who also chairs the Hong Kong SAR Basic Law Committee.
But Shen said the concept of the 50-year lifespan was “only a symbolic description” and there would not be changed to the principle after 2047, echoing the words of Deng Xiaoping.
Washington’s “international order” is distinguished by its “America First” foreign policy. It is akin to asking an Australian Rules football player to play American Gridiron. There are different rules for different places
In his keynote speech to Hong Kong’s senior officials and legal professionals late last month, Shen cited Chinese President Xi Jinping and stressed the need for both the central and Hong Kong governments to keep the system “vital and effective” by responding to challenges and making improvements in a timely manner.
On July 1, Hong Kong will reach the halfway mark of the “50 years no change” mantra, but it has not been an easy ride. There have been lots of stumbling blocks along the way, or subversives who have exploited the vulnerabilities of the Hong Kong SAR to destabilize China and hinder its development. Instead of a planned “Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong”, it has been other people attempting to usurp the right to rule Hong Kong people. The culprit, of course, is the United States and its allies, who conducted those manuvers under their “rule-based international order”.
Ever since World War II, the US has ruled supreme and sees itself as master and keeper of the rules of international organizations. And as keeper of the rules, the US expects to be obeyed whenever it barks, even though Washington itself keeps breaking those rules.
But times are changing, especially after the Trump/Pompeo administration overstepped its reach; it was a further decline of the US’s downfall precipitated by its hegemonic arrogance. Rhetoric by the Biden/Blinken administration is not helping and indeed sows seeds of distrust in the free thinking world.
Even before their time, successive US administrations would wage war, either directly or by proxy, against anyone who broke the rules of order, in other words, whoever disagreed with US policies.
The incumbent US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, made a passionate speech on the US’s China strategy recently, during which he spoke in glowing terms about the rise of China and its potential. He confirmed the “one China” principle and would not support Taiwan’s independence.
However, in keeping with traditional US rhetoric, he speaks with a forked tongue. In his 45-minute speech, Blinken accused China of undermining the international order and destabilizing the situation across the Taiwan Strait. In fact, any “aggression” by Beijing in relation to Taiwan has been in direct reaction to US provocations, a favorite trick of the US to start proxy wars. For example, the “Taiwan air defense space”, drawn up by the US, covers a fair portion of the Chinese mainland. So by association, any Chinese mainland aircraft flying in its own airspace is “against the international order.”
Washington’s “international order” is distinguished by its “America First” foreign policy. It is akin to asking an Australian Rules football player to play American Gridiron. There are different rules for different places.
“Under President Xi Jinping, the ruling Chinese Communist Party has become more repressive at home and more aggressive abroad,” Blinken said. “We cannot rely on Beijing to change its trajectory. So, we will shape the strategic environment around Beijing to advance our vision for an open, inclusive international system.” Definitely, an open challenge.
Again, Blinken is changing the “rule-based order.”
And finally, he described China as “the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order – and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to do it”.
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Blinken ‘s speech was spreading false information, exaggerating China’s threats, interfering in China’s internal affairs, and smearing China’s domestic and foreign policies.
He also accused the US of forming a “small bloc” with other regional nations to contain China, and again stated that Hong Kong, Taiwan, Xinjiang and Tibet were all internal matters for China.
The author is a former Chief Information Officer of the Hong Kong Government, a PR & Media Consultant and veteran journalist.