Hong Kong political system - why go step by step?

(People's Daily Online) 08:40, June 19, 2014

Email|Print|Comments

twitter

facebook

Sina Microblog

Guo Wanda, executive vice president of the China Development Institute(CDI) inShenzhen, southern China's Guangdong province.

The White paper points out that the central government and the government of HongKong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) are committed to the gradual developmentof a democratic political system in accordance with the Basic Law of the HKSAR and theregulations made by the NPC Standing Committee.

Why should we place emphasis on the role of Basic Law in the progressive development ofHong Kong's democratic political system?

Firstly, Hong Kong lacks the democratic tradition and spirit. Hong Kong had no democracyunder British rule. The so called “Administrative Absorption of Politics” refers to a mode ofrecruiting powerful and influential Hong Kong citizens into the official and quasi-officialorganizations for the purpose of maintaining the British rule in Hong Kong and reducing thethreat posed to the rule by the Hong Kong Chinese. As the British and Hong Kongauthorities had no intention of offering democracy to the general population of Hong Kong,it is generally held that Hong Kong enjoyed freedom rather than democracy and that HongKong residents did not have a strong sense of democracy at the time, which is one of thefeatures of the Hong Kong society. Naturally, it is best that a society without thedemocratic tradition should gradually develop democracy to ensure prosperity andstability and Hong Kong's smooth return to China.

Secondly, the promotion of democracy depends on the need to improve standards of livingand develop the economy. Hong Kong is a model of development in Asia, featuring freecompetition and relative fairness under the rule of a clean government during the draft ofthe Basic Law. The implementation of radical democracy might lead to great instability inHong Kong if it sweeps through like a violent storm.

Thirdly, the gradual development of democracy has met with opposition both at home andabroad. In the last five years of British rule in Hong Kong, Chris Patten, Britain's last HongKong governor, implemented political reform to give Hong Kong residents the democracythey had never enjoyed during more than one hundred years of British rule. It wasdemonstrated later that the reform was not so much a measure of returning power to thepeople of Hong Kong as one of looking to create agents after the "ignominious retreat" ofthe British. Currently, key opposition figures in Hong Kong maintain close contact withBritain and the U.S. They lobby for radical democracy and claim that it would develop theeconomy and improve standards of living, but their real intention is to disrupt Hong Kong'sadministration. In this sense, the gradual development of democracy encounters oppositionboth at home and abroad.

The article is edited and translated from 《本报特约专家解读香港白皮书》， source:People's Daily Overseas Edition, author: Lian Jintian, a reporter of People's Daily

(Editor:Du Mingming、Yao Chun)

Hong Kong's inflation slows to 3.6 pct in February

CY Leung calls for reform discussion

HK to hold 2014 flower show at Victoria Park

HKSAR Chief Executive meets British FM

Mainland, Hong Kong working for bright future

HKEx welcomes first offer of RMB sovereign bonds through its facilities

Treasury bonds to be issued in Hong Kong

HK official: harborfront authority consensus sought

HK remains attractive to world capital

We Recommend