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HK edition / 2022-07 / 05 / Page008

HK's 25th anniversary has significant meaning

By Paul Yeung | HK EDITION | Updated: 2022-07-05 08:44

Hong Kong's festivities marking the 25th anniversary of its reunification with the motherland peaked on Friday with a swearing-in ceremony presided over by President Xi Jinping for the governing team of the sixth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as well as an inspiring speech by the State leader, who depicted encouraging prospects for the city.

It would be perfunctory to simply regard "25th" as the silver jubilee of a celebratory event or see it as the halfway mark of the "50 years no change" mantra. President Xi's reaffirmation of the long-term sustainability of "one country, two systems" on Friday has no doubt greatly boosted confidence in the city's future.

When then-State leader Deng Xiaoping came up with the idea of "one country, two systems", he explained that "50 years" was just a figurative saying; for the first 50 years the framework could not be changed, and after that, it would not be necessary to change. Echoing Deng's notion, Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, has recently emphasized that "50 years unchanged" is a philosophical concept, not an absolute measurement; given that "one country, two systems" remains on the right track, it is unnecessary to change the framework after 50 years.

Hence seeing the 25th anniversary as the midpoint of the journey does not reflect the essence of "one country, two systems". The significance of the 25th anniversary lies in the implementation of "patriots administering Hong Kong", a significant milestone achieved in the practice of "one country, two systems".

We all would agree that the double whammy of a worst-ever political maelstrom in 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic have taken a huge toll on Hong Kong. Thanks to the decisive initiatives taken by the central authorities, peace and social order have been restored in the city, which is on its way back to normalcy. These initiatives, including the promulgation of the National Security Law for Hong Kong and the revamp of the HKSAR's electoral system, are intended to fully enforce the "patriots administering Hong Kong" precept. In 2021, Xia expounded on the four criteria and the five requirements that add up to a high-caliber patriotic administrator qualified to become a member of the governance team of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong", therefore, is not a mere political slogan, but a comprehensive system to ensure good governance in Hong Kong as well as safeguarding national security and other national interests.

Following the Legislative Council election last year and the chief executive election this year, this patriot-only selection system has forged a staunch patriotic force in the political establishment. Since its inauguration at the beginning of this year, the new LegCo has spared no effort in nurturing a good working relationship with the executive branch. The citywide battle against COVID-19 is a good illustration of the close collaboration between the two branches, whose consensus is that until the pandemic is brought under control, LegCo will only deal with matters of legislative effect while its committees will only convene meetings in relation to emergency or pandemic-related matters. Such close cooperation was unimaginable in the past when political agitation and confrontation were the norm in the legislature. Meanwhile, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has come up with new ideas and a new philosophy on governance, and built a governing team composed of professionals from a variety of sectors. These developments, which are crucial to the success of "one country, two systems" in the future, have happened shortly before the 25th anniversary, making the 25th anniversary worthier of celebration.

Moreover, as Hong Kong was looking forward to the grand event of the 25th anniversary celebration, the central government at the beginning of this year issued a set of guidelines on establishing a unified domestic market, which specifically designated the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as a pilot zone for regional coordinated development. The 25th anniversary will be of greater significance in the journey of "one country, two systems" if Hong Kong can cope with external challenges while leveraging the opportunities emerging from national development to the benefits of both the city and the whole country.

The practice of "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong" in the first 25 years after the reunification has ensured the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong, but it was not sufficient to deal with some of the deep-seated problems emerging along the way. Now with the full implementation of "patriots administering Hong Kong", the two principles will reinforce each other to forge a mighty synergy that will ensure the smoother running of "one country, two systems", putting its institutional advantages to good use and propelling Hong Kong's socioeconomic development to a new level. This is precisely what makes the 25th anniversary more significant.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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