Hong Kong News

Nonpartisan, Noncommercial, unconstrained.
Tuesday, Mar 19, 2024

Freedoms under two systems remain vital to Hong Kong

Freedoms under two systems remain vital to Hong Kong

Liaison office chief may have hammered home the importance of ‘one country’ for Hong Kong on National Day, but city’s high degree of autonomy must continue.
There is perhaps no better occasion than National Day for Beijing to hammer home the concept of “one country”.

Coming after a year of turmoil fuelled by growing tension and conflict, yesterday’s speech by the central government’s envoy is more than a ritual marking the 71st anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. It is the clearest signal yet that sovereignty and national security are still a work in progress in Hong Kong.

Addressing the October 1 anniversary following the enactment of the national security law, liaison office director Luo Huining said order was gradually returning. Whether it can be sustained remains to be seen.

While the statute may act as a deterrent, it does little to win the hearts of many who take issue with the way it was imposed. The occasional unruly protest amid restrictions limiting the number of those that gather during the pandemic is a reflection of the lingering discontent among certain quarters in society.

Increasingly, many Hongkongers feel that the promised high degree of autonomy and freedoms has been eroded. But Beijing is more concerned with the way the governing principle of “one country, two systems” is being implemented, and taking an increasingly assertive approach to city affairs.

Luo’s warning that the two systems are being distorted by some to oppose one country underlines Beijing’s worries.

Speaking at the same ceremony, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor thanked the central government for enacting the national security law to help restore order and stability. But she must realise that the unrest triggered by her unpopular and now-withdrawn extradition bill is far from over.

Ten months ago, she acknowledged the need for an independent review committee to study factors contributing to the unrest; but that promise has yet to be honoured. Tensions may well continue unless more concrete actions are taken to ease public grievances.

It is regrettable that the concept of one country, two systems has yet to be accurately implemented after 23 years of reunification. The need to enhance understanding of sovereignty and national security is inevitable, but it is important that the freedoms and autonomy under two systems be fully preserved.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Hong Kong News
0:00
0:00
Close
It's always the people with the dirty hands pointing their fingers
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
Steve Jobs' Son Launches Venture Capital Firm With $200 Million For Cancer Treatments
Google reshuffles Assistant unit, lays off some staffers, to 'supercharge' products with A.I.
End of Viagra? FDA approved a gel against erectile dysfunction
UK sanctions Russians judges over dual British national Kara-Murza's trial
US restricts visa-free travel for Hungarian passport holders because of security concerns
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Political leader from South Africa, Julius Malema, led violent racist chants at a massive rally on Saturday
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
'I am not your servant': IndiGo crew member, passenger get into row over airline meal
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Spanish Citizenship Granted to Iranian chess player who removed hijab
US Senate Republican Mitch McConnell freezes up, leaves press conference
Speaker McCarthy says the United States House of Representatives is getting ready to impeach Joe Biden.
San Francisco car crash
This camera man is a genius
3D ad in front of Burj Khalifa
Next level gaming
BMW driver…
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
The politician and the journalist lost control and started fighting on live broadcast.
The future of sports
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
Joe Biden admitted, in his own words, that he delivered what he promised in exchange for the $10 million bribe he received from the Ukraine Oil Company.
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
The Last Pour: Anchor Brewing, America's Pioneer Craft Brewer, Closes After 127 Years
Democracy not: EU's Digital Commissioner Considers Shutting Down Social Media Platforms Amid Social Unrest
Sarah Silverman and Renowned Authors Lodge Copyright Infringement Case Against OpenAI and Meta
Why Do Tech Executives Support Kennedy Jr.?
The New York Times Announces Closure of its Sports Section in Favor of The Athletic
BBC Anchor Huw Edwards Hospitalized Amid Child Sex Abuse Allegations, Family Confirms
Florida Attorney General requests Meta CEO's testimony on company's platforms' alleged facilitation of illicit activities
The Distorted Mirror of actual approval ratings: Examining the True Threat to Democracy Beyond the Persona of Putin
40,000 child slaves in Congo are forced to work in cobalt mines so we can drive electric cars.
×