Prosperity, stability: Key principles for ‘One Country, Two Systems’

What is the original intent of “One Country, Two Systems”? To my understanding, it is to maintain the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao. That is why one of the yardsticks of the success of implementing “One Country, Two Systems” is the effectiveness of such efforts. It is safe to say, therefore, that prosperity and stability are the overriding principles of the “One Country, Two Systems” policy.

National People’s Congress Standing Committee Chairman Zhang Dejiang, who paid a three-day visit to Hong Kong in May last year, will set foot in Macao from today (Monday) to Wednesday. It is understood that the main objectives of Zhang’s visit include understanding Macao’s experience and latest developments in its successful implementation of “One Country, Two Systems”, encourage Macao’s economic diversity and urge the city to leverage its advantages and special functions while taking part in the Greater Bay Area development.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is about to celebrate its 20th birthday, while Macao has returned to its motherland for 18 years. The Basic Law stipulates that Hong Kong’s political and social systems are to remain unchanged for 50 years. Using that as a standard, “One Country, Two Systems” has entered its middle stage of development. How to sum up past experience and followup on the country’s resumption of the exercise of sovereignty in the two SARs does not only concern the actual benefits of the people there but also draws the attention of the entire nation, as well as the rest of the world. That certainly also preoccupies the minds of central government leaders.

What Zhang said during last year’s visit to Hong Kong presented a clear signal — economic development and livelihood issues should be top priorities. It is believed Zhang’s Macao visit will focus mainly on how to put into practice the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area project, which was announced in the Government Work Report of Premier Li Keqiang in March.

When he visited Hong Kong last May, Zhang advised the SAR for the first time that — when implementing “One Country, Two Systems” — it must not forget the original intent and must do it with confidence. He also reiterated that development is the overriding principle, and pointed out that Hong Kong’s worthiness and international status is consummate with the level of its economic development. The SAR should therefore make good use of the opportunities presented by the Belt and Road Initiative and the country’s 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20). During the two sessions held in Beijing in March, Zhang warned that Shenzhen would overtake Hong Kong in two to three years and Hong Kong could not afford to be bogged down by political wrangling any more.

After returning to its motherland, Macao has been able to take full advantage of the central government’s favorable policies to develop and diversify its economy and markedly improve living standards for its people. Its GDP per capita has catapulted into Asia’s top position. It can be said that Macao’s development has realized the original intent of “One Country, Two Systems”.

In comparison, Hong Kong has lagged far behind in terms of progress. Its GDP, which originally constituted almost one fourth of the country’s, is now only 2 or 3 percent. Certainly, that is also due to the mainland’s rapid development but Hong Kong has also been surpassed by Singapore, which is testimony to the existence of internal problems in the SAR. And because of that, Zhang has called upon Hong Kong not to waste any more of its time and effort.

As a matter of fact, subsequent to Deng Xiaoping’s statement that development should be the overriding principle, focusing on development has become one of Beijing’s top principles of governance. Central government leaders have come to the conclusion that the solutions to all the problems facing the country could only be found in economic development. Poverty invariably intensifies social grievances while wealth provides the conditions for ironing out differences.

At present, Hong Kong is at the juncture of government change. Incoming Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has indicated her intention to govern comprehensively, with special emphasis on economic development and improving people’s livelihoods. Capitalizing on the potential of the Greater Bay Area project would be a major highlight as well. Yet, to achieve these purposes, the SAR government must beware of and fend off interference from various forces. The opposition camp, in a bid to retain their breathing space, would keep demanding the re-launch of constitutional reform, saying that without such reform there would be no solution to economic problems. The idea is to pull the government into a quagmire.

If they really wish Hong Kong well, they should first of all promise to stop filibustering. I believe only when Hong Kong’s economic development witnesses marked progress, when such livelihood issues as the housing shortage are vastly improved, and when people unite and have much stronger feelings for the country, could political issues like constitutional reform have the possibility of being resolved.

The author is a veteran current affairs commentator.