(East and West Questions) On the 25th anniversary of the handover, how does Hong Kong "go from governance to prosperity"?
China News Agency, Beijing, July 1st: On the 25th anniversary of the handover, how does Hong Kong "govern and prosper"?
"China News Weekly" reporter Sun Xiaobo
On the 25th anniversary of its return to the motherland, Hong Kong has entered a critical period of "governance and prosperity".
Recently, China News Agency "East and West Questions" interviewed a number of experts on Hong Kong and Macao issues, and analyzed the background and reasons of Hong Kong's "governance and prosperity" from multiple dimensions.
On the morning of July 1, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government celebrated the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland at the Golden Bauhinia Square. Helicopter formations flying the five-star red flag and the Hong Kong regional flag flew over the Victoria Harbor.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Zhang Wei
National Security Law and New Elections Renew Hong Kong
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the second anniversary of the implementation of the National Security Law for Hong Kong, and the first year to complete the election of the new chief executive based on the fundamental principle of "patriots ruling Hong Kong".
Wang Linggui, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, said recently that with the implementation of the National Security Law and the improvement of the electoral system, Hong Kong has undergone a new look.
Wang Zhenmin, director of the Center for Hong Kong and Macau Studies at Tsinghua University, said that insisting on handling Hong Kong's national security issues within the framework of the Basic Law fully demonstrates the central government's firm commitment to "one country, two systems" and the Basic Law.
The national security law for Hong Kong is the lowest level and lowest standard of "life-saving law", which will help the "one country, two systems" to return to normal and achieve stability and long-term success.
Tian Feilong, associate professor of the Law School of Beihang University and director of the National Hong Kong and Macau Research Association, pointed out that the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law has patched up the national security loopholes that have plagued Hong Kong for many years, freeing Hong Kong from the "defensive" state of national security, and promoting the situation in Hong Kong from chaos to governance. , Hong Kong's development is back on track.
He said that the original intention of the Hong Kong National Security Law was to maintain Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and to make up for loopholes in the national security law.
The Hong Kong National Security Law and the new electoral system fully and accurately implement "patriots ruling Hong Kong", make up for the loopholes in the "one country, two systems" system, and develop "one country, two systems" into an organic and unified system.
On June 29, Hong Kong fishing boats paraded in Victoria Harbour with slogans celebrating the return of Hong Kong to the motherland to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Li Zhihua
"Patriots ruling Hong Kong" inspires good governance and good governance in Hong Kong
In the view of many Hong Kong scholars, since the implementation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong for two years and the implementation of the new election system more than a year ago, Hong Kong has opened up a new situation of good governance and good governance.
Liu Zhaojia, vice-chairman of the National Association for Hong Kong and Macau Studies, pointed out that in today's Hong Kong, the forces of love for the country and Hong Kong are unprecedentedly united, and all sectors of society focus on the future development direction and deep-seated problems of Hong Kong.
Yan Xiaojun, an associate professor at the Department of Politics and Public Administration at the University of Hong Kong, said that the improved new electoral system has brought Hong Kong society's discussion of politics back to focusing on the degree and effect of governance.
It is worth noting that Wang Linggui pointed out that the central government's implementation of the "National Security Law" in Hong Kong and the improvement of the electoral system have laid a foundation for the healthy development of Hong Kong's democracy while maintaining sovereignty, security and development interests, and have a profound impact on prosperity and stability.
He believes that Hong Kong now has the conditions to promote various social and people's livelihood construction.
Zheng Yongnian, Dean of the Institute for Advanced Study in Global and Contemporary China, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), believes that Hong Kong did not have political conditions to solve people's livelihood issues before, but now there are. Hong Kong's political conditions are ripe.
In his view, Hong Kong has undergone significant changes after the principle of "patriots ruling Hong Kong" has been fully implemented.
First of all, national security under "one country, two systems" basically had no grasp before, but now the implementation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong has a grasp; second, in terms of cultivating national identity, the entire educational and cultural system can now be substantially advanced; more importantly Yes, the implementation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong is a transformation of the two political systems. Hong Kong has moved from a radical democracy in the past to a democracy that is more in line with Hong Kong's culture, class structure and social structure.
Today's Hong Kong is "starting again".
Data map: A red sun is rising from the east, mapping the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge very charmingly.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Zhang Wei
The Greater Bay Area and the "14th Five-Year Plan" promote Hong Kong to shine again
The stability of Hong Kong society has also brought a burst of vitality.
In the latest "World Competitiveness Annual Report 2022" released by the Lausanne International School of Management and Development, Switzerland, Hong Kong's ranking has risen from the seventh place in the world last year to the fifth place.
Among the four competitiveness factors in the annual report, Hong Kong continued to rank well in "Government Efficiency" and "Business Efficiency", and also improved in "Economic Performance" and "Infrastructure".
The Hong Kong SAR government said that Hong Kong's competitiveness depends on the institutional advantages of "one country, two systems", including the rule of law and judicial independence, free inflow and outflow of funds, free trade and investment systems, a simple and low tax system, a good business environment, and an efficient government.
Song Luzheng, a researcher at the China Institute of Fudan University, believes that Hong Kong has completely restored stability, the business genes have returned, and with the help of the central government, Hong Kong will inevitably accelerate its development and become more prosperous.
When it comes to the future development of Hong Kong, many scholars have mentioned two important documents - the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Plan" and the "14th Five-Year Plan" and the 2035 Vision Outline.
Tian Feilong said that the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Planning Outline" released in early 2019 actually provided a specific strategic guideline on how Hong Kong should integrate into the overall national development situation; while the "14th Five-Year Plan" proposed the positioning of the eight major centers of Hong Kong , which not only contains the inherent advantages of Hong Kong's original international status, but also superimposes the development advantages under the new national strategic conditions, which provides a very good policy basis for Hong Kong's transformation and development and seizing the development opportunities of a new round of globalization. and policy guidance.
Hong Kong under "one country, two systems" has its own irreplaceable advantages and unique value as a special administrative region.
Some people point out that Hong Kong, as a free port, independent customs territory and economy, its degree of internationalization and openness can provide unique support for China's economic development, internationalization of the RMB, foreign exchanges, rule of law and urban governance.
It can be said that under "one country, two systems", Hong Kong has both the convenience of "one country" and the benefits of "two systems".
The construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the advancement of the "14th Five-Year Plan" are huge opportunities for Hong Kong.
As some scholars have pointed out, if Hong Kong can deeply integrate into the national development strategy with its unique advantages, it is only a matter of time before the "Pearl of the Orient" with a population of 7 million will shine again.
(Finish)