China News Agency, Shenzhen, June 15 (Suo Youwei Cai Minjie) Deng Zhonghua, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, said at the International Seminar to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Promulgation of the Basic Law of Hong Kong held by the National Hong Kong and Macao Research Association on the 15th that national security legislation involving Hong Kong will become Hong Kong "Amulet" for long-term prosperity and stability.
Deng Zhonghua said that when the Basic Law was enacted that year, how to maintain national security was also a legislative content of great concern to all parties. Based on the actual situation at that time and the trust of the central government in the future special administrative region, the central government passed Article 23 of the Basic Law to hand over part of the responsibility for national security legislation to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In the 23 years since the reunification, this constitutional responsibility has not been fulfilled for a long time, which has led to the centralization of national security risks during the “revision storm” last year. Faced with the grim situation, the central government directly promoted the legislation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to safeguard national security from the national level.
Deng Zhonghua said that Hong Kong-related national security legislation conforms to the original intention of "one country, two systems" and has legal authority, which not only solves the urgent issues, but also guarantees long-term security.
"The "one country, two systems" was first proposed to safeguard the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the country. This is the original intention and origin of the "one country, two systems." On the issue of maintaining national security, there is only the responsibility of "one country", and no "two systems." Different." Deng Zhonghua said that the criminal acts that endanger national security in Hong Kong are serious violations of the "one country, two systems" principle bottom line and serious deviations from the "one country, two systems" and the original intention of the Basic Law. They must be regulated through this legislation.
Deng Zhonghua said that the outstanding risks of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in safeguarding national security are reflected in the increasingly rampant activities of "Hong Kong independence" organizations and local radical separation forces, the escalating violent terrorist activities, the intensified naked intervention of external forces, and "Hong Kong independence". "Taiwan independence" has many aspects including co-flow and pollution.
"These risks erupted intensively during the "revision storm" last year, causing extremely serious damage to the social stability and economic livelihood of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Many citizens' lives are in trouble, and even the most basic life and property safety cannot be guaranteed." Deng Zhonghua said that Hong Kong-related national security legislation complements the legal loopholes and shortcomings of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in safeguarding national security, and will become a "talisman" for Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability.
Deng Zhonghua said that Hong Kong-related national security legislation would improve the system and mechanism of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to maintain national security, and severely crack down on a handful of illegal criminals. It will certainly maintain Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability and the rule of law, freedom, and openness while maintaining national security. The core advantage is to protect the rights and freedoms of the vast majority of Hong Kong citizens, thereby ensuring that the practice of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong is stable and far-reaching. (Finish)