Hong Kong Association of Media Veterans yesterday held a forum to discuss the issues of "self-determination" and Hong Kong independence". Several speakers all agreed that "Hong Kong independence" won't get anywhere but its hazardousness to young people must not be underestimated, so that it still must be refuted and cracked down in accordance with the law.
"Hong Kong independence" getting nowhere is a point made by Chairman Zhang Dejiang of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) in his speeches during his recent tour in Hong Kong. One of the focuses of attention on Zhang Dejiang's Hong Kong visit has been on the issues of "self-determination" and "Hong Kong independence" as various sectors hoped to learn about the central authority's view and counter-measures in this regard.
Zhang Dejiang talked about "self-determination" and "Hong Kong independence" in two speeches successively.
One was his keynote speech at the banquet hosted by the SAR Government in his honour, in which he called on people not to forget the original aspiration for "one country two systems" and pointed out: "Now there is an extreme small minority of people who have rejected 'one country', resisted the Central Government, and even put forward for "Hong Kong independence" – this is not an issue of localism, but an issue of using the name of localism to separate the country. Is this violating the original aspiration for 'one country two systems'? Is this a fortune or a misfortune for Hong Kong? I believe the vast majority of Hong Kong compatriots have their answers in mind."
The second was his speech at the occasion of having pictures taken with about 200 socialites before leaving Hong Kong, in which Zhang Dejiang once again pointed out: "What so-called 'self-determination', what so-called 'Hong Kong independence', they won't get anywhere at all. I can surely make such a judgment. They are not at all in accord with Hong Kong's fundamental interests. I also believe an absolute majority of Hong Kong citizens do not support them. This is the first point I want to make. Everyone must hold fast, hold fast to 'one country two systems", and hold fast to the Basic Law."
The gist of the two speeches is that so-called "self-determination" and "Hong Kong independence" both violate the original aspiration for "one country two systems", and both are not in accord with the fundamental interests of the 7.3 million Hong Kong people, hence they are a misfortune for Hong Kong instead of a fortune. An absolute majority of Hong Kong compatriots do not support them and already "have their answers in mind". "Self-determination" and "Hong Kong independence" won't get anywhere at all.
It can be said that these words by Chairman Zhang Dejiang present the Central Government's hitherto most clear cut and most forceful position on the issues of so-called "self-determination" and "Hong Kong independence". Anyone who still harbour some illusion about "self-determination" and "Hong Kong independence" should have his head screwed on the right way. For, so-called "self-determination" and "Hong Kong independence" are the road to ruin, absolutely having no way out. Similarly, from now on, Hong Kong society must view the issues of "self-determination" and "Hong Kong independence" on the basis of Chairman Zhang Dejiang's speeches in this regard. Only in this way can they draw a clear distinction between right and wrong and between pros and cons, so as to truly "have their answers in mind".
"Hong Kong independence" absolutely won't get anywhere, either from legal point of view or in reality. Furthermore, it can be certain that even those radicals who advocate it the most energetically and arrogantly, including the Hong Kong National Party that is making efforts to recruit members, and Demosist?'s Joshua Wong Chi-fung and his ilk who demand for a "self-determination referendum" Hong Kong's post-2047 future, in fact also "have their answers in mind". They are clearly aware that "self-determination" and "Hong Kong independence" are a dead-end road and can achieve nothing. Their only purpose for pursuing something that they know impossible to succeed is to make further trouble in Hong Kong and to stir up a storm among more young people of rejecting "one country" and resisting the Central Government, so as to deny the 1997 handover, and deny "one country two systems". Apart from ignorance, they have support by foreign anti-China elements behind the scene, who have already placed their hope of changing the colour of China on these radicals.
In conclusion, while "Hong Kong independence" cannot get anywhere", it still must be resolutely cracked down and laid bare. It must not be allowed to grow and mislead more young people into the trap of splitting our own country.
27 May 2016
