September24,1982:DengXiaopingmeetswiththenBritishPrimeMinisterMargaretThatcher,andexpoundstheChinesegovernment’sstanceontheHongKongissue.XinhuaJuly1,2017marksthe20thanniversaryofHongKong’sreturntoChina.The“onecountry,twosystems”policyinHongKonghasreacheditsmiddleperiod.AcrossChina,discussions,researchandcommemorativeactivitieshavebeenheld.Theinternationalcommunity,whilerecognizingtheeffectivegovernanceofChina’scentralgovernmentandHongKong’sachievementsoverthepasttwodecades,iseagerlyspeculatingontheconcreteplansandpoliciesthecentralgovernmentwillintroduceforHongKongintheyearstocome.
WhendiscussingthegovernanceofHongKong,aswellaspayingattentiontowhetherHongKongcancontinuetoexerciseahighdegreeofautonomy,theinternationalcommunityplacesmorefocusonthedynamicassessmentofthecertaintyandrationalizationofChina’sstateacts.Forthepasttwodecades,undertheframeworkofthe“onecountry,twosystems”principleandtheBasicLawoftheHongKongSpecialAdministrativeRegionofthePeople’sRepublicofChina(hereinafter“BasicLaw”),China’scentralgovernmenthasfullyrespectedandsupportedHongKong’shighdegreeofautonomy,safeguardeditsprosperityandstability,andcontributedtoandmaintainedtheoverallauthorityandorderoftheBasicLawinaccordancewiththelaw,servingasafaithfulandqualifiedinstitutionalguardian.
ForChina,practiceofthe“onecountry,twosystems”principleinHongKongismuchmorethanasimplemanagementexperiment.SocialistChinahasretainedalocalcapitalistsystemforalongtimeandhasactivelysupportedandmanagedthissignificantlydifferentexistence.Chinahasrespondedtoandgenerallymetthedemandsofvariousstakeholdersatnational,localandinternationallevelsandmaintainedtheinnerbalanceandvitalityofthe“onecountry,twosystems”principleandtheBasicLaw.Alltheseachievementshavebeenmadethroughhardwork.WhilegoverningHongKongforthepast20years,China’scentralgovernmenthasengagedinstudyandexchangeswiththeinternationalcommunityatdeeperlevelsandgainedanevenmorecomprehensivegoverningandlegislatingcapacity.October1,1997:3,000-pluspeoplefromallwalksoflifeinHongKongparticipateinthefirstofficialNationalDayflag-raisingceremonyafterHongKong’sreturntothemotherland.byLiuYanwu/Xinhua
May4,2015:ChildrencelebrateChina’sYouthDayattheGoldenBauhiniaSquare.Growingupwiththe“onecountry,twosystems”principle,HongKong’syouthhasinheritedthespiritofpatriotism.IC
February15,2007:TheflowermarketinVictoriaParkattractsnumerousvisitors.VisitingflowermarketsisamajoractivityforHongKonglocalsduringtheSpringFestival,andtheoneinVictoriaParkisthelargestandbusiestintown.byZhouLei/XinhuaHongKong’sReturnandGovernanceChallenges
In1842,theQingDynasty(1644-1911)wasdefeatedbytheUnitedKingdomintheFirstOpiumWar(1840-42).TheQinggovernmentwasforcedtosigntheTreatyofNankingwiththeUK,thefirstofmanyunfairtreatiesforcedonChinabyforeignimperialistpowersinmoderntimes.ThetreatygrantedthecessionofHongKongIslandtoBritain,fromwhichtimeHongKongwasunderBritishcolonialrule.Atthesametime,thecountdowntoHongKong’sreturntothemotherlandbegan.ForChina,thesufferingandmiseryinflictedbywarwasfarmorethanjustcessionofterritory.Fromthenon,thecountry’shumiliatinghistoryofmorethanacenturyovershadowedthelossofland.
From1842to1997,HongKongfacedatrialofstrengthbetweentwohistoricaltimesandtwoidentities.ThefirstwasahistoricalviewofBritishcolonialrule.Byfacilitatingstronginternationaltradeandgovernanceofcommonlaw,Britainbecameaglobalpowerinmoderntimes.Basedonthissystem,amorefavorableviewofcolonialhistorywasestablished.TheflipsidesawHongKong’sreturntothemotherlandasavictoryforChinaanditspeopleagainstthebrutalsemi-colonialandsemi-feudalenvironmentthatwasthrustonChinainmoderntimes,andtherestorationofHongKong’ssovereigntyafterstrugglesofgenerationsasaroadtoprosperity.AftertwoWorldWars,Britainsufferedadecisivedecline,anditscolonialsystemcollapsed.In1984,ChinaandBritainsignedtheJointDeclarationoftheGovernmentofthePeople’sRepublicofChinaandtheGovernmentoftheUnitedKingdomofGreatBrit-ainandNorthernIrelandontheQuestionofHongKonginBeijing,confirmingthattheChinesegovernmentwouldresumeandexercisesovereigntyoverHongKongfromJuly1,1997.Then,HongKongentereda13-yeartransitionalperiodbeforeitsreturntoChina.ThefactorsenablingHongKong’ssuccessfulreturnlienotonlyinthepatriotismofHongKongcompatriotsandthevisionofacommunityofsharedfutureforpeoplefrombothHongKongandtheChinesemainland,butalsoinChina’sstrengthandalluringprospectsformorereformandopening-uptotheoutsideworld.HongKongatnight.Enjoyingthebenefitsof“onecountry”andtheadvantagesof“twosystems,”HongKonghaslongmaintaineditsstatusasaninternationalfinancial,shippingandtradehub.VCG
August20,2003:AfamilyfromGuangzhouCityshowstheirexit-entrypermitsfortravelingtoandfromHongKongandMacao.Fromthisdate,citizensofGuangzhouwereallowedtotraveltoHongKongandMacaoasindividualtourists.byZhouWenjie/Xinhua
August6,2000:AlocalresidentvisitsashipofthePeople’sLiberationArmy(PLA)HongKongGarrisononits“openday.”TheeventhashelpedbuildunderstandingandtrustbetweenPLAsoldiersandHongKonglocals.Xinhua
November1,2003:AstronautYangLiwei(right)andrenownedHongKongKungFustarJackieChansingtogetheratawelcomeceremonyforadelegationfromtheChinesemainland.byWangXiaochuan/XinhuaOnJuly1,1997,HongKongreturnedtothemotherland,excitingtheentirenation.However,someHongKongpeople’sfeelingsaboutBritishcolonialruleandthevaluesandlifestylesshapedbyBritain’scolonialrulewerenoteasilyovercome.Itisclearthatduringthetransitionalperiodfrom1984to1997,someHongKongpeoplewereunabletochangetheirfeelingsaboutBritishcolonialrule,whichhadbeenguidingthecityfor100years,andembraceHongKong’sreturntothemotherland.
Thus,itisunderstandablethatsomeHongKongresidentsdidn’tfeelthesameemotionaspeopleontheChinesemainlandabouttherestorationofsovereignty.Peoplewithinthe“twosystems”havedifferentvaluesandpoliticalcultureswhichcan’tbeignored,evenwithinonecountry.Besides,duetothevariouslatentforcesandbarriermechanismssetbyBritainduringHongKong’sreturntoChina,thetrialofpoliticalstrengthbetweenChinaandBritaindidn’tendin1997,butinfluencedthegovernanceofHongKonglongafteritsreturn.
Aswecommemoratethe20thanniversaryofHongKong’sreturntoChina,whilesummarizingtheChinesecentralgovernment’sachievementsingoverningHongKong,weshouldalsonoticethattheBasicLawmightalsobefacingasortof“mid-lifecrisis.”ThegovernanceofHongKongcurrentlyfacessomechallenges:TheadministrativefunctionsandactsofthegovernmentoftheHongKongSpecialAdministrativeRegion(HKSAR),asdefinedintheBasicLaw,havebeenrestricted.Excessivelocalizationofjurisdictionhashurtsomenationalinterests.SomeoppositionforcesinHongKonghaveshownatendencytowardsradicalizationandviolence,directlythreateningtheorderandsecurityoftheBasicLaw.HongKong’ssocialcontradictionsandimproperpublicpoliciesonpeople’slivelihoodshaveledtolocaldissatisfactionanddisappointment.
GoverningHongKong:SettingoutwithEase
China’scentralgovernmenthasrespondeddynamically,followingupanddiagnosingthemajorproblemsandevolutionarytrendsinthegovernanceofHongKong.Ithasprovidedresponsesinlinewithitsconstitutionalroleandshouldereditsresponsibilitytoguardthe“onecountry,twosystems”policyandtheBasicLaw.June6,2016:RetiredChinesebasketballsuperstarYaoMing(4thfromleft)posesforapicturewithotherguestsparticipatingintheactivitiesoftheSpecialOlympicsHongKong40thAnniversaryinHongKong.ICBasedonsomepoliciesandrelatedstatementsissuedbyChina’scentralgovernmentonHongKongandMacaoin2017,severalpredictionshavebeenmadeabouttheChinesecentralgovernment’sfutureplansforgoverningHongKong:
The“onecountry,twosystems”policywillremainunchangedforalongtime.Inquiteafewdocumentsandonmanyformaloccasions,China’scentralgovernmenthaspointedoutthatthe“onecountry,twosystems”policyandthebasiclaws,theframeworkofgoverningHongKongandMacao,willmaintainstableforthelongterm.Nomajorinstitutionalreformswillbecarriedout,andgreaterimportancewillbeplacedonpolicyrefinementandadjustmentaswellasmorecompletelawenforcement.Thesemoveshaveshownthecontinuityandstrategicwillpowerofthecentralgovernment’spolicytowardsHongKongandprovidedcriticalconstitutionalandpolicyfoundationsforthelong-termstabilityandprosperityofHongKongandMacao.
Theprincipleof“governingHongKonginaccordancewiththelaw”willbefurtherconsolidated.PoliciesandrelatedstatementsissuedbyChina’scentralgovernmentongoverningHongKongin2017highlightthegeneraltrendoftheruleoflawinHongKong.Greaterimportancehasbeenplacedonthefollowingaspects:First,China’sConstitutionandtheBasicLawformajointlawbasisforthegovernanceofHongKong.Inthiscontext,thelegalmoldingandintegrationeffectoftheConstitutionontheBasicLawshouldbereaffirmedandhighlighted.Second,theBasicLaw’sroleinadministrativeguidanceshouldbereaffirmedandthecentralgovernmentwillsupportHKSAR’schiefexecutiveanditsgovernmenttocarryoutadministrativefunctionsinaccordancewiththelaw.Third,withintheBasicLaw,separatisminHongKongviolatestheConstitutionandcausesgreatdamagetosociety.Theprincipleof“governingHongKonginaccordancewiththeConstitutionandtheBasicLaw”hasbecomethecommongovernancepolicyforChina’scentralgovernmenttogovernHongKongaswellasforHongKong’sself-governance.China’scentralgovernmenthasmadeitclearthatitwilltransformfromthepreviouspracticeof“governingHongKongthroughconsultation”to“governingHongKonginaccordancewiththelaw.”Alocalfoodstall.Inacityofsizzlingwoksandpungentcookingaromas,HongKongoffersabundantdelicaciesfortouristsfromallovertheworld.IC
May30,2017:HongKong’sannualDragonBoatFestivalRaceisheldatAberdeenPromenade.Morethan60teamsparticipatedintothisyear’scompetition.byLuBinghui/Xinhua
May28,2017:KidsplayintheparkinCentral,HongKong.TwentyyearsafterHongKong’sreturntothemotherland,throughpracticingthe“onecountry,twosystems”policy,theprosperityandstabilityofHongKonghavebeensafeguarded.byLiuYun/XinhuaCoordinatingthefivedevelopmentgoalsforHongKongwillinvigorateitssocialreconstruction.China’s2017reportontheworkofthegovernmentemphasizedthe“fivegoals”forHongKong’sgovernanceandsocialdevelopment,includingexercisinglaw-basedgovernance,growingtheeconomy,improvingpeople’swellbeing,advancingdemocracyandpromotingsocialharmony.Thefivegoalshavecombinedvarioustopicsincludingtheruleoflaw,politicalsystems,economicsandsocietytogether.Inrecentyears,thegovernanceofHongKonghasslidintotrapsofsocialmovements,po-liticalreform,andevenseparatism,resultinginhugelossesinstrengthandaneconomicslowdown.HongKongurgentlyneedstoovercomethe“over-politicization”trap,activelypromoteeconomicdevelopment,blazeanewtrailfordevelopmentandmakenewcontributionstothemotherland.TheauthorityoftheruleoflawandtherationalityoforderarethebasisforHongKong’sprosperityandstability.Whileeconomicdevelopmentandpeople’swellbeingarethekeypointsinHongKong’sreconstruction,theyserveasimportantfactorsforHongKongtorejuvenateandhealthedivide.
June8,2017:ConsideredtheheartofHongKongIsland,Centralisalsohometothecity’scommercial,financial,andbankingcenters.IC
TouristsattheWongTaiSinTemple,2013.ATaoisttempleestablishedin1921,theWongTaiSinTempleisoneofthemostfamoustouristattractionsinHongKong.byWanQuan
NightfallsintheneighborhoodofLanKwaiFong,HongKongIsland.LanKwaiFongisoneofHongKong’smostpopularnightlifehotspotsandhometoabundantrestaurantsandbars.ThetourismindustryhasbeenanimportantpartofHongKong’seconomysinceitshiftedtoaservicesectormodelinthelate1980s.byWanQuanRegionalintegrationwillbecomethenewstrategicdirectionleadingHongKong’seconomicdevelopment.Inrecentyears,China’scentralgovernmenthasbeenconsideringandactivelypromotingitsnationalstrategy,withclosercooperationandintegrationbetweenGuangdongProvince,HongKongandMacaoasakeybreakthrough.ThebasicdesignofthestrategyistohelpHongKongovercomeitsgeographicallimitationsandimmerseintothenationalsystemtocuretheisolationismadvocatedbyHongKongseparatists.Usingeconomicdevelopmenttosolvepoliticalproblemsexhibitsthecorewisdomofthe“Chinesemodel.”Clearly,HongKongsocietycontrastswithmainlandsocietyinmanyways.Theimprovementoftheeconomyandpeople’swellbeingandregionalintegrationoftheeconomycannotcompletelyreplaceHongKong’sgoalsofdemocratizationandself-adjustment.Thus,collaborativegovernanceisevenmorenecessarytorealizebetterresults.
HongKongandMacao’suniqueadvantages,statusandfunctioninChina’snationalstrategies,especiallyintheBeltandRoadInitiative,demandmoreattention.Dynamicmutualbenefitsshouldbeusedtoensureandsafeguardthejustfoundationofthe“onecountry,twosystems”policy.ThehighdegreeofautonomyforbothHongKongandMacaoisneitheraninnateright,norgrantedbythecolonists.ItisapoliticaldecisionbyChina’stoplegislatureintheoverallinterestsofthecountry’smodernization,aswellasitsreformandopeningup.Accordingtothecompletelogicchainofthe“onecountry,twosystems”principle,bymaintainingtheprosperityandstabil-ityofHongKongandMacao,China’scentralgovernmenthasthevalidgoalofsafeguardingandsupportingthecountry’sfuturedevelopment.Inthissense,HongKongshouldnotonlyenjoythehighdegreeofautonomyandvariousrightsgrantedbytheBasicLaw,butalsoshouldertheresponsibilityandpromotethepoliticalethicsofsafeguardingnationalsovereignty,security,anddevelopmentinterests.ByactivelyparticipatinginregionalintegrationandconstructionoftheBeltandRoad,HongKongcanbecomeanexampleoftheaccurateandcompletepracticeofthe“onecountry,twosystems”policy,andprovidefoodforthoughtforthe“re-educationofcitizens”inHongKongandMacao.
Forthepasttwodecades,undertheframeworkofthe“onecountry,twosystems”principle,bothChina’scentralgovernmentandHongKongsocietyhaveremaineddedicatedtotheprosperityandstabilityofHongKong,economicinteractionbetweentheChinesemainlandandHongKong,andprogressontheruleoflaw,aswellasHongKong’ssocialtransformationundertheframeworkoftheBasicLaw.Whilemanyachievementshavebeenmade,challengesfromvariousrealmsneedtobeaddressed.Atpresent,HongKong’sgovernancehasenteredanewphase,whichurgentlyrequiresbothChina’scentralgovernmentandHongKongtoconductobjectiveretrospection,summarizationandintrospectiononthepast20years.OnlythiswillfacilitateabrighterfutureforHongKong.
TheauthorisanassociateprofessorwiththeLawSchoolofBeijingUniversityofAeronauticsandAstronautics(BUAA),executivedirectoroftheCenterforLegalStudiesofthe“OneCountry,TwoSystems”underBUAAandacouncilmemberoftheChineseAssociationofHongKong&MacaoStudies.
TheHongKong-Zhuhai-MacaoBridgeunderconstruction.Thebridge,whichisexpectedtoopentotrafficinlate2017,willenabletravelerstodrivefromHongKongtoMacaoorZhuhaiCityinGuangdongProvinceinjusthalfanhour.byChenXianyao