‘One-party rule’ a non-issue, explains Wang
Whether or not advocating ending the country’s “one-party rule” would disqualify a Hong Kong election candidate is a “non-issue”, the central government’s liaison chief told legislators on Monday.
Wang Zhimin explained at his luncheon with Legislative Council members that this is because the term “one-party rule” is irrelevant to the country’s situation — where several parties cooperate.
Wang was responding to the recent local debate over whether advocating an end to “one-party rule” should bar a candidate from elections in Hong Kong.
The debate was initiated after the country’s annual “two sessions” meeting amended the Constitution, naming leadership of the Communist Party of China as the “defining feature” of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
“There are 143 articles of the Constitution and not even one line mentions anything about so-called ‘one-party rule’,” explained Wang.
The national Constitution stipulates that the country runs a system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC on the Chinese mainland, Wang noted.
It is difficult for anyone to sum up the essence of the system with the three-word term “one-party rule”, noted Wang.
He said he hoped people in Hong Kong respect the socialist system on the mainland and try not to offend the 1.3 billion people living there who are used to that system by discussing this “non-issue” — just as mainland people have no desire to change Hong Kong’s capitalist system.
Wang also questioned the political ethics of some politicians in Hong Kong. It is unethical for anyone to join the establishment but at the same time be anti-establishment, Wang said. Noting the political system on the mainland had been implemented since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, Wang urged people who want to be involved in politics, especially the young, to respect these values.
He said the people of Hong Kong, especially the younger generation, should learn more about the country’s political systems before jumping to conclusions.
Last month, Hong Kong’s deputy to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee Tam Yiu-chung cautioned that people who advocate “ending one-party rule” might infringe the revised Constitution. They therefore could be barred from running elections in Hong Kong.
Tam first made these statements in an interview during the NPC annual meeting in Beijing last month. His remarks sparked considerable debate on the issue.