Regarding the five focal points mentioned by Wang Huning yesterday - including to govern Hong Kong strictly following the Constitution and Basic Law, it is afraid that some people may not clearly understand the dominant-subordinate relationship among them, or even have the misunderstanding that disqualifying lawmakers refusing to take the loyalty oath is out of keeping with the rule of law.And integrating Hong Kong into the greater pattern of national development and seizing the opportunities brought about by the Belt ad Road initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area development still remain on the stage of talking and writing. So in view of either awareness or real action, there is still quite a distance from "no sooner said than done".
The five requirements can be sumarised as covering two aspects. One is that law must be abided by politically and systematically. The "law" talked about here refers not just the rule of law in the SAR and common law, but the SAR's constitutional foundation jointly formed by the national Constitution and the Basic Law. From now on, either principal officials or members of the Legislative Council (Legco) all must solemnly and sincerely take the oath to pledge their loyalty to the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Hong Kong SAR, otherwise they cannot be appointed or run elections and take seats. Radical elements of "localism", "self-determination" and "independence for Hong Kong", whenever they touch separatism and the bottom line of national territories, sovereignty, security and interests of development, must not possibly be given even the slightest tolerance but must be suppressed and resisted. On matters of principles involving the nation, the Chief Executive and SAR Government must take a firm and clear-cut stand, and Hong Kong society must distinguish right from wrong and remain sober-minded, so as to be sure not to stew in its own juice and bring disaster to Hong Kong and the nation.
The second is that, economically Hong Kong having better to integrate itself into the greater pattern of national development is no longer a question to be discussed or whether should be put into practice, but a matter of "life or death" for seven million people. If we fail to seize opportunities, fail to get on board and take the "priority seat" the nation reserved for Hong Kong on the high-speed train of the Belt and Road initiative and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area development, fail to make good use of and bring into full play the remnants of our advantages in financing, financial market, professions and talents, but instead keep talking endlessly, looking about and making no move, and even want to obstruct the Co-location Arrangement, then no others should be blamed when Hong Kong society gets gradually marginalised.
Revision of the Constitution is imminent, and reform is being sped up. Before the unstoppable great current of national development, the SAR and Hong Kong society really can no longer restrict its activities to a designated sphere and sit at the bottom of a well to see the skies, but must devote efforts to better understand the nation and really firmly seize development opportunities. The five focal points on Hong Kong and Macao affairs set in the Report to the 19th CPC National Congress are bound to be the principles for the Central Government to work out policies and measures toward Hong Kong in a long period of time to come. They likewise are bound to become the basic requirements for the SAR Government and Hong Kong society. Without earnestly understanding and grasping these five focal points, Hong Kong society will suffer a great deal and even never accomplish anything. (End)
07 March 2018
