How does the Chinese Communist Party govern the country?

Chapter 22

1997年7月1日和1999年12月20日，香港和澳门分别回到祖国的怀抱。这标志着西方对港澳的统治完全结束，邓小平的“一国两制”构想已经变成事实，香港和澳门从此进入了高度自治的新时代。

As early as the transitional period between Hong Kong and Macau, in order to ensure a smooth transfer of power and long-term stability in the future, the central government, together with people and experts from various fields in Hong Kong and Macau, drafted the Basic Laws of the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.The Basic Law is a legal document that fully embodies "one country, two systems" and is the basis for the implementation of various systems, policies and laws after the establishment of the Special Administrative Region, so it is particularly important. In April 1987, when the "Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" was still being drafted, Deng Xiaoping clearly pointed out: "Whether our 'one country, two systems' can truly succeed must be reflected in the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region." "This Basic Law is very important. There is no such law in the history of the world, and this is a new thing." In February 4, when the "Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" was drafted, he spoke highly of the Basic Law as "a law with historical and international significance. ", "is a creative masterpiece".

In April 1990, on the basis of extensive consultation, the Third Session of the Seventh National People's Congress passed the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. The Basic Law has 4 chapters and 10 articles, plus a preamble and 160 appendices.The preamble of the Basic Law states: In order to safeguard the unity and territorial integrity of the country, maintain the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, and take into account the history and reality of Hong Kong, the state has decided to establish the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region when it resumes the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, and to follow the principle of "one country, two systems" " policy, not to implement the socialist system and policies in Hong Kong. The General Provisions of Chapter 3 of the Basic Law also stipulate that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China.The National People's Congress authorizes the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to exercise a high degree of autonomy in accordance with the provisions of this Law and enjoy executive, legislative, and independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication.The executive and legislative organs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall be composed of permanent residents of Hong Kong in accordance with the relevant provisions of this Law.It can be seen that what the central government grants to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region through the Basic Law is not general powers, but a high degree of autonomy.

In March 1993, the "Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region" was also passed by the National People's Congress, which also granted Macao a high degree of autonomy.The above two basic laws have laid the legal foundation for the special administrative region system.

Before the return of Hong Kong and Macau, many people worried that Hong Kong and Macau would lose their freedom under the rule of the Communist Party, so they emigrated overseas.After the reunification, these pessimistic predictions have all come true.After the return of Hong Kong and Macao, the central government has always adhered to the policy of "one country, two systems", Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong, Macao people governing Macao, and a high degree of autonomy. It strictly abides by the two basic laws, strongly supports the government of the special administrative region in governing according to law, and never interferes in its autonomy. affairs.The departments under the Central People's Government, provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government have never interfered with the affairs that the SAR government manages on its own in accordance with the Basic Law.Under such circumstances, the original economic and social systems and lifestyles of Hong Kong and Macao have not changed, and Hong Kong and Macao residents still enjoy extensive freedom and democratic rights.Even Martin Lee, chairman of the Democratic Party, who has always been pessimistic about Hong Kong's prospects, admitted that Hong Kong's return to the motherland has been unexpectedly good.Freedom of the press and freedom of demonstrations and petitions are the same as in the past. No one has been arrested on political grounds, and there has been no tightening at all.Taiwan's "Central News Agency" also reported that after the return of Hong Kong, words and deeds related to sensitive press freedom, human rights calls, and civil complaints remained the same. The CCP’s remarks can be seen and heard everywhere, and the situation of a hundred flowers blooming and a hundred birds contending is the same as before, which generally shows the social stability of ‘the horses run as usual, the dances continue to dance, and the stocks follow the speculation’.”

At the same time, Hong Kong's judicial independence and power of final adjudication are also fully respected, and courts at all levels exercise judicial power independently without interference.

The central government's resolute implementation of the "one country, two systems" policy and the normal operation of the SAR government have left a deep impression on Hong Kong people, and Hong Kong people's confidence in Hong Kong's future has been greatly enhanced.According to public opinion survey data conducted by the University of Hong Kong in recent years, after the return of Hong Kong, the confidence of Hong Kong people to love Hong Kong and the motherland has increased day by day.Some Hong Kong people who have emigrated overseas have also come back one after another because they saw the hope, and there have been many "phoenix returning to the nest" phenomenon.According to Canadian media statistics in 2005, about one-third of the 1997 people who immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong before 20 returned to Hong Kong to settle down again.The international community has also gradually realized the feasibility and superiority of the Basic Law and the special administrative region system. In June 2007, the European Union issued a statement acknowledging that after the return of Hong Kong, "one country, two systems" has been successfully implemented on the whole, and Hong Kong is still a "land of success".The statement also stated that the EU supports the respect for human rights and individual freedoms enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, especially with regard to the autonomy and independence of the executive, legislative and judicial institutions.The EU believes that Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, as enshrined in the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, will continue to be maintained.

After the reunification, the central government has always supported the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to carry out political reforms, and through the interpretation and decisions of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, it has promoted the gradual development of Hong Kong's democracy on the track of the Basic Law.In the more than 1997 years since the opening of Hong Kong to 150, members of the Hong Kong British Legislative Council and the Executive Council were appointed by the Governor of Hong Kong. Almost all senior officials in the previous Hong Kong British Governments were British, and most of the Chinese staff could only serve as some low-level officials. official. In 1985, the British Hong Kong authorities started the so-called "representative political reform", but it did not introduce "direct election" seats when the legislature was established, but introduced "indirect election" and "functional group" seats.Regarding this issue, Articles No.1990 and No.40 of the "Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" promulgated in 60 clearly stipulate that: after the reunification, the method of selecting the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council shall be determined according to the actual situation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the principle of gradual and orderly progress. stipulations, and ultimately achieve the goal of universal suffrage.This shows that the central government believes that after a step-by-step transition, when the time comes, both the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council will eventually be elected by universal suffrage.Although the Basic Law does not specify when universal suffrage can be achieved, it states in the annex that any amendments to the methods for selecting the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council after 2007 must be approved by a two-thirds majority of all members of the Legislative Council. The chief officer agrees and reports to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for approval or filing.The reason why the central government made such an explanation, stipulating that universal suffrage will only be possible after 2007, is to maintain the stability of the pace of political reform in the first ten years after Hong Kong's return to the motherland, and at the same time follow the principle of proceeding from reality and proceeding step by step.

However, the good intentions of the central government have not been understood by Hong Kong democrats for a long time.Under the banner of freedom, democracy, and human rights, they have repeatedly called for the implementation of "dual universal suffrage" as soon as possible, that is, the immediate universal election of the chief executive and the Legislative Council, thus confronting the central government and the Basic Law on this issue. In 2004, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress interpreted the Basic Law and rejected calls for universal suffrage in 2007 and 2008.That same year, the Hong Kong government established a constitutional reform task force to study how to advance the democratic component of elections. In 2005, the SAR government launched the first specific political reform plan, suggesting that in 2007, the election committee responsible for electing the chief executive should increase the number of members from 800 to 1600, and that the number of seats in the Legislative Council be increased from 2008 to 60 in 70. Seats, direct elections and functional group seats each increased by 5 seats.However, since this political reform plan did not mention the timetable and roadmap for universal suffrage, it was resisted and rejected by the democrats.

In order to promote Hong Kong's political reform, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, after repeated weighing and deliberation, resolved in 2007 that the SAR government can implement universal elections for the chief executive and the Legislative Council in 2017 and 2020, respectively.On this basis, in 2010, the Hong Kong Legislative Council passed the 2012 amendment to the chief executive and the method for selecting the Legislative Council with a majority of more than two-thirds of the votes. progress.This political reform plan makes changes to the methods for selecting the Chief Executive of the Special Administrative Region and the Legislative Council in 2012.Among them, the amendments to the method for selecting the Chief Executive of the SAR include: the number of members of the Chief Executive Election Committee has been increased from 800 to 1200, and the members of the SAR Legislative Council, members of the SAR Legislative Council, Representatives of district council members, representatives of Heung Yee Kuk, representatives of the National People's Congress of the Hong Kong District, and representatives of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference of the Hong Kong District, composed of four major sectors, with 300 people in each sector, and no less than 150 for the election of the Chief Executive Committee members may jointly nominate candidates for Chief Executive, etc.The amendments to the method for forming the Legislative Council of the Special Administrative Region include: the total number of seats in the Legislative Council will be increased from 60 to 70 seats, of which 35 seats will be directly elected for functional groups and districts, and 5 new seats for functional groups will be nominated by district councilors. More than 300 million Hong Kong citizens were elected.

After Hong Kong’s 2012 political reform plan was passed, a spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council said in a statement: This result is in line with the general wishes of the Hong Kong public and is also what the central government is happy to see.We appreciate the efforts made by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the Legislative Council and people from all walks of life.This shows that the central government fully respects and supports Hong Kong's autonomy.In this regard, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Donald Tsang, said: "During the process of this political reform, Hong Kong citizens and I have also deeply felt the trust of the central government in Hong Kong, and we have the greatest sincerity and determination to support the development of democracy in Hong Kong and the implementation of the Basic Law. The promised universal suffrage.” On March 2012, 3, the election of the chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was held, and Leung Chun-ying was finally elected as the fourth chief executive of Hong Kong.

(End of this chapter)