As a matter of fact, the real harm and most serious damaging effect caused by Occupy Central is none the other than politically opening a "gap" for wantonly resisting the Central Government. Something Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, Martin Lee Chun-ming, Benny Tai Yiu-ting and their ilk hadn't dared and been able to do for a long period of time was done through the 79-day Occupy Central. What had been dreamed of by the United States' National Endowment for Democracy (NED) for years to create trouble in Hong Kong and for China became "hopeful". And the richest "harvest" the opposition reaped from this political antagonist movement of Occupy Central was that a large number of young students have turned from "anti-national education", "anti-brainwash" to further believing Hong Kong should be "self-determined" and "entitled to become independent".
Many people once felt it hard to understand, how come Jimmy Lai, Benny Tai and their ilk wanted to launch Occupy Central? The August 31 Decision by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) undoubtedly marked a big step forward toward the ultimate aim of "selecting the Chief Executive by universal suffrage", why still insisting on rejecting it, insisting on taking to the streets and launching Occupy Central? Today, the incident is over but the very cause behind it remains unchanged. With the passage of time, the real purpose of the Occupy Central gang becomes more clearly exposed before all Hong Kong citizens. What they really want is to shake "one country two systems" from the very foundation and the cornerstone for the existence of this system, rather than to occupy, to break laws and to attack police officers. Hong Kong people want independence, so what for do they still need "one country two systems"? Young people want "Hong Kong to be saved by Hong Kong people themselves", so what for do they still need the Basic Law and the Central Government?
In the general Legislative Council (Legco) election conducted not long ago, some members of the main force of the "umbrella soldiers" who had participated in Occupy Central were sent into the legislature. Their running in the election, being elected and even the so-called "ThunderGo" vote-allocation scheme are in essence the continuation of Occupy Central and the continuation of the efforts by Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and people of that ilk to make trouble in Hong Kong and for China. With regard to this, people who really care about "one country two systems" and care about Hong Kong's destiny and future must never lower their guard. Once Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and people of that ilk make use of newly-elected young "localist" legislators to take the "Hong Kong independence" issue into the legislature, or make use of them to further attack the Chief Executive and obstruct the administration of the SAR Government in accordance with the law, then Hong Kong's politics, economy and people's livelihood will suffer even heavier damages to make the situation become even more severe. This will be the worst outcome that is hard for anyone to anticipate.
Occupy Central had made trouble in Hong Kong for 79 days, yet its damaging effects last beyond the 79 days. Right now, the most effective counter-measures to nullify Occupy Central's damaging effects and to curb "Hong Kong independence" are to firmly safeguard "one country two systems" and the Basic Law, to firmly safeguard the Central Government's constitutional status and role, to safeguard the good relations between the SAR and Central Governments, to support the SAR Government's governance in accordance with the law, and to strengthen various social sectors' solidarity and cooperation and their legal consciousness. Hong Kong people must not relax their vigilance.
(The End)
28 September 2016
