Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the central government has always shown great solicitude for Hong Kong, treating Hong Kong residents as fellow compatriots and envisaging Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland as a community with a shared future.
Before Hong Kong returned to the motherland, under the “long-term consideration and full utilization” policy, the central government supported Hong Kong’s development and the well-being of Hong Kong compatriots in multiple aspects, with its care for the city remaining unwavering even when the country faces severe economic difficulties. The “water of the Dongjiang River coming over the mountains” and the “three express trains” that supplied fresh and frozen goods to Hong Kong are shining examples of this support. In the 1970s, Hong Kong’s manufacturing industry faced pressure from rising land, energy, and labor costs. The reform and opening-up policy pursued by the central government allowed Hong Kong’s manufacturing industry to move to the Pearl River Delta and expand its scale of operation, tremendously propelling the city’s economic development. It has also promoted the growth of finance, professional services, and modern logistics industries, optimizing Hong Kong’s industrial structure.
On the eve of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, the central government formulated the “one country, two systems” policy, which allows Hong Kong to maintain its original competitive advantages, and has been a significant boon for the city’s continued prosperity. The policy, which was first put forward by then-State leader Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s, allows Hong Kong to have a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defense affairs, to maintain its capitalist economic system and way of life for 50 years after the handover in 1997, and to continue to operate under its own legal and economic systems. The policy has preserved Hong Kong’s unique identity and ensured its economic prosperity. In implementing “one country, two systems” and promoting development, Hong Kong has encountered many difficulties and challenges from both internal and external sources, some of which are insurmountable by Hong Kong alone. The central government’s unwavering commitment to Hong Kong’s future has always been a source of hope, strength and confidence. It has spared no effort to help the city overcome its problems many times and lay a solid foundation for its long-term development, instilling in the city tremendous fortitude in the face of challenges.
The central government’s solicitude for Hong Kong cannot be exaggerated. But those external forces that are hostile to China and the anti-China insurrectionists within Hong Kong have tried to distort the truth and depict the central government’s solicitude for Hong Kong as moves that harm Hong Kong, hoping to incite Hong Kong residents against Beijing and undermine China’s and the special administrative region’s reputation. To refute the distortions of internal and external hostile forces and combat their baleful plots, I would like to briefly describe some of the indispensable policies and measures the central government has taken to show its solicitude for Hong Kong.
First, the central government has prevented internal and external hostile forces from destroying the “one country, two systems” framework, allowing it to return to its original design and be further consolidated. In June 2020, the central government promulgated the National Security Law for Hong Kong, after which it facilitated a thorough revamp of Hong Kong’s electoral system that helped quell the riots in Hong Kong and reshape its political landscape so that the practice of “one country, two systems” will no longer be interfered with and undermined by hostile forces at home and abroad, thereby realizing the basic principles of “patriots administrating Hong Kong”, “executive-led governance”, “cooperative executive-legislative relationship”, and “Hong Kong assuming the responsibility for safeguarding national security”. Since then, especially after Hong Kong in March enacted the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance according to Article 23 of the Basic Law, “one country, two systems” has been comprehensively and accurately implemented in Hong Kong. Under the new political landscape in which the central government strictly exercises its comprehensive jurisdiction over Hong Kong and the SAR fully utilizes its high degree of autonomy, the foundation of Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability has been dramatically strengthened. In 2022, when President Xi Jinping made an inspection tour of Hong Kong, he solemnly declared that the “one country, two systems” policy would be implemented in Hong Kong for a long time. This central government decision has cleared any doubt about the future of “one country, two systems”. It greatly enhances the confidence of all walks of life in Hong Kong and the international community in the city’s future. If the central government had not taken bold and decisive actions to rescue it from the riots, Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” would be in dire straits under the fierce attack of internal and external hostile forces. Hong Kong would then become a menacing burden to the country; Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability would not be guaranteed; and the interests and well-being of Hong Kong residents would also be grossly impaired.
Second, in the new international environment in which the United States and its allies are escalating their efforts to contain and undermine Hong Kong, the central government has helped the city open a new development space. The US and its allies once hoped that Hong Kong would play a role in catalyzing China’s “peaceful evolution” after its return to the motherland. To this end, they tried their best to cultivate the anti-China insurrectionists in Hong Kong and instigated a “color revolution” there. After their plot failed, the US and its allies turned to actions that jeopardized Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, weakening its role and value in national development. Even if they do not harbor sinister political intentions toward Hong Kong, with the continued decline of, and the rise of their protectionism and unilateralism in the US and the West, Hong Kong will inevitably receive declining economic opportunities from them. Therefore, Hong Kong must find ways to cope with the historical trend of “a rising East and a falling West”. The main task for Hong Kong is to open more economic space outside the US and the West at full speed. It is essential to accelerate its integration into the country’s overall development and fully use the development opportunities from the mainland and the policies and measures devised by the central government to benefit Hong Kong.
To expand Hong Kong’s development space on the mainland, the central government has introduced many policies and measures to promote economic, trade and financial ties. They include the continuous expansion of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, designating Hong Kong’s role in national development in the national five-year plans, the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, intensifying Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation, developing the Qianhai and Nansha cooperation zones in Shenzhen and Guangzhou respectively, strengthening financial ties between Hong Kong and the mainland through various market connect programs, expanding the yuan business in Hong Kong, building Hong Kong into the premier offshore renminbi financial center, encouraging more mainland companies to list on the Hong Kong stock market and conduct business in Hong Kong, expanding the Individual Visit Scheme to more mainland cities, facilitating Hong Kong enterprises, service industries, medical and health industries, educational and scientific research institutions, and other institutions to operate on the mainland, allowing Hong Kong residents on the mainland to enjoy national or unique treatment, and providing essential support to the construction of Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis. These and others represent the central government’s efforts to expand Hong Kong’s development space on the mainland.
In expanding Hong Kong’s international development space, the central government’s support for Hong Kong is indispensable. The central government supports Hong Kong’s signing of free trade and investment agreements with more countries and regions, significant among them are some countries along the Belt and Road, such as Middle East and Southeast Asian countries, as well as joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. The central government continues to enhance Hong Kong’s role in renminbi internationalization, which will elevate Hong Kong’s status and development space in the international financial system.
Third, the central government continues to increase its efforts to promote the transformation and upgrading of Hong Kong’s industries and transform its overly narrow industrial structure, thereby increasing the momentum of its economic development and allowing it to create more diversified jobs. The country’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) supports the development of various international hubs in Hong Kong (including the international financial center; international innovation and technology center; East-meets-West center for international cultural exchange; international trade center; international shipping center; international aviation hub; center for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia‑Pacific region; as well as the regional intellectual property trading center). These centers are incorporated into the national development strategy. Various policies have been successively introduced to support their development, especially in promoting Hong Kong’s innovation and technology industry.
Fourth, the central government has spared no effort to improve people’s livelihoods and maintain social stability in Hong Kong. Among them, the construction of the GBA is of utmost importance to the well-being of Hong Kong residents, who have increasing opportunities to go to neighboring cities in the GBA for employment, business, education, medical treatment, homeownership, leisure, tourism, retirement, elderly care, and gaining experience in culture and art, improving their living standards and quality of life. To this end, the central government continues to enhance convenience for Hong Kong residents entering, working and living on the mainland.
Finally, whenever Hong Kong or its residents encounter difficulties, the central government will generously lend a helping hand. Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok airport encountered operational difficulties immediately after its opening in 1998. The central government promptly asked Shenzhen Huangtian Airport (the present-day Shenzhen Baoan International Airport) to assist Hong Kong. During the Asian financial crisis, international speculators attacked Hong Kong’s linked exchange rate system and the stock market. With the strong support of the central government, Hong Kong defeated and inflicted heavy losses on those speculators. After the Asian financial crisis ravaged Hong Kong’s economy, the central government injected an impetus into the city’s economic recovery. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Hong Kong, the central government sent medical teams to help Hong Kong tide over the difficulties. As far as individual Hong Kong residents are concerned, whenever they are in danger or encounter problems overseas, the country’s embassies and consulates abroad will try their best to assist Hong Kong compatriots. For example, in 2010, a Hong Kong tour group was taken hostage in Manila, Philippines. In 2013, nine Hong Kong tourists died in a hot-air balloon crash in Egypt. In both cases, Hong Kong residents received speedy and appropriate assistance from the central government. It can be said that after the handover, the sense of security of Hong Kong residents as Chinese citizens in other places is much higher than before the handover because of the country’s strong backing.
With the sincere care and support of the central government and the country, and with the compatriots on the mainland and Hong Kong compatriots walking together through thick and thin, Hong Kong will be more capable of surmounting difficulties and challenges in the future. Therefore, the designation of Hong Kong as a “blessed land” will remain enduringly justified.
The author is a professor emeritus of sociology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and a consultant for the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
