Abundant historical facts prove no single person or political group has worked harder than the Communist Party of China when it comes to ensuring the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. That means those who have gone out of their way to deny and undermine the CPC’s leadership in the cause of “one country, two systems” are the most dangerous saboteurs.
These political zealots, driven by ideological dogmatism and political bigotry, have turned a blind eye to the undeniable fact that New China would not have been born without the CPC, not to mention the country’s great achievement of recuperating from extreme poverty, foreign oppression and despair; and the same is true with the invention of “one country, two systems”, which has ensured the stability and prosperity of the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.
As a special administrative region of China, Hong Kong is well protected by the national defense apparatus but exempt from sharing defense expenses like its mainland counterparts do through taxation. In fact, the HKSAR does not pay any tax to the State, but has received generous and timely aid from the central government when it was in need of help one way or another
The world has recognized these achievements China attained under the leadership of the CPC in the 100 years since its founding, as evidenced by the views of scholars from around the globe at the International Symposium on the Communist Party of China’s History of 100 Years, held in Hong Kong on Wednesday, who spoke highly of the CPC’s political wisdom and strong execution.
The political radicals have also deliberately misinterpreted the original intent of the central authorities in creating the “one country, two systems” principle to serve their personal interest or partisan agenda. For the same purpose, they also ignored the advantage of “one country, two systems” and the great achievements Hong Kong has made under this innovative system.
Hong Kong has achieved unprecedented development in all walks of life since it returned to the motherland 24 years ago. Its GDP stood at HK$1.37 trillion ($176.45 billion) in 1997 but rose to HK$2.8 trillion in 2019, more than doubling in value over two decades. It has also maintained its lead in global competitiveness in most key aspects. In helping Hong Kong sustain healthy development, the central government has consistently provided strategic assistance for the HKSAR government and offered policy perks to benefit Hong Kong compatriots in the past 24 years. Hong Kong was able to withstand the severe impact of two global financial crises and two deadly viral outbreaks in the past 25 years or so mainly because of the central authorities’ strong and timely support.
As a special administrative region of China, Hong Kong is well protected by the national defense apparatus but exempt from sharing defense expenses like its mainland counterparts do through taxation. In fact, the HKSAR does not pay any tax to the State, but has received generous and timely aid from the central government when it was in need of help one way or another. For example, Hong Kong survived the Asian financial storm of 1997 and the global financial crisis of 2008 without serious damage, thanks to unreserved support from the central government.
Had the exercise of “one country, two systems” followed the guidance of the central authorities precisely, there would have not been any severe “stumbles” and “falls” like those in recent years that badly interrupted Hong Kong’s socioeconomic progress. Even more hurtful is that disruptive forces led by local opposition politicians but controlled by anti-China Western powers were able to brainwash or hoodwink many people, especially youths, into harming the interests of Hong Kong society with political unrest and violence, including widespread criminal vandalism.
The most recent and destructive has to be the “black revolution”, which began in June 2019 as anti-extradition-bill protests but soon turned into well-organized and extremely violent street riots and criminal vandalism that sometimes resembled terrorist attacks with homemade explosive devices. During the “black revolution”, separatist groups funded and commanded by external hostile forces openly called for Hong Kong independence and effectively seized leadership of the illegal, violent campaign, which savaged the rule of law, tore the society apart and seriously hurt the local economy, along with the city’s reputation as one of the safest places in the world.
The months-long insurrection and destruction was a stark contrast to the previous 23 years of prosperity and stability following Hong Kong’s return to the motherland in 1997 and will be remembered for such shocking hate crimes as mob-lynching, setting an innocent stranger on fire and killing someone with a brick to the head, all by brainwashed young rioters.
Evidently, the leadership of the CPC helps ensure healthy socioeconomic development as well as prosperity and stability in Hong Kong, whereas attempts to turn Hong Kong against the motherland and make residents challenge the CPC’s leadership in keeping the cause of “one country, two systems” on the right track never failed to harm the overall interest of Hong Kong society no matter what fancy excuses were used. What more painful lessons does Hong Kong have to learn to understand that those who clamor for “an end to one-party rule”, reject the CPC’s leadership in the cause of “one country, two systems”, and attempt to use Hong Kong as a geopolitical pawn to sabotage China and as a staging area to infiltrate the mainland, are the ones posing existential threats to Hong Kong by attempting to destroy the very foundation of “one country, two systems”.
Had the central authorities not taken decisive measures to help the HKSAR government restore order and right wrongs, there is no telling how miserable Hong Kong residents would be feeling today. Once again, the leadership of the CPC saved Hong Kong from sinking deeper into the abyss some of its own “elites” created with generous help from external hostile forces. That is a simple fact no one can deny or change.
Generations of Chinese people have chosen to follow the CPC and trusted its leadership through thick and thin for a century now, and that is a solid historical fact, too. As the founder of “one country, two systems” and leader of this cause, the CPC has no match when it comes to understanding and appreciating the value of this unprecedented system arrangement and political invention. No one can fault the CPC for doing all it can to ensure the integrity of “one country, two systems” and keep this exercise firmly on the original path.
Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, pointed out recently that maintaining the constitutional order of the HKSAR according to the nation’s Constitution and the Basic Law of HKSAR means upholding the leadership of the CPC in the cause of “one country, two systems”, which is vital to Hong Kong’s future and the well-being of Hong Kong residents.
That is why the central authorities will never tolerate any attempt to sabotage the constitutional order of Hong Kong as a special administrative region of China, or its prosperity and stability for that matter; and neither will the 7.5 million Hong Kong residents let anyone get away with such plots and acts.
The author is a current affairs commentator. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.