Commissioner of Chinese foreign ministry in HKSAR calls for accurate understanding of Basic Law

HONG KONG -- The Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Monday called on the international community to fully and accurately understand the HKSAR Basic Law and earnestly support its implementation.

Commissioner Xie Feng received via video a courtesy call from new consuls-general of Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, the Dominican Republic and Pakistan in Hong Kong, during which he shared with the consuls-general several key points about the HKSAR Basic Law.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the promulgation of the HKSAR Basic Law, and the practice of "one country, two systems", which is to remain unchanged for 50 years, has entered its medium term, Xie noted, adding that "taking stock of the past 23 years, we can find that at the crux of the strife in Hong Kong over the decades is often a failure to understand the Basic Law comprehensively and accurately."

"In particular, activists trying to sow trouble in Hong Kong and China at large have deliberately distorted the principles of the Basic Law, and obstructed the comprehensive and accurate implementation of the instrument," Xie said.

"They have even played the victim, and accused instead the central government and the HKSAR government of violating the Basic Law and the policy of 'Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong' and eroding Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy," he said. "Therefore, it is imperative for us to get the basics straight and set things right."

The Basic Law codifies "one country, two systems" into law with concrete provisions and institutional arrangement, Xie said, noting that to fully and accurately understand it, it is important to grasp the relations between the Constitution and the Basic Law, between "one country" and "two systems", and between the central government's overall jurisdiction and the HKSAR's high degree of autonomy, he said

It is also important to realize that safeguarding national sovereignty, security and unity is crucial for comprehensively and accurately implementing "one country, two systems", and is a constitutional obligation of the HKSAR under the Basic Law, he added.

Xie emphasized that as supporters of the "one country, two systems" policy and stakeholders in Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, members of the international community should fully and accurately understand the Basic Law and earnestly support its implementation.

"Only when the Basic Law is implemented in a comprehensive and accurate manner, and the systems and mechanisms related to implementing the Constitution and the Basic Law in the HKSAR are improved to keep abreast with the times, can we ensure greater success of the endeavor of 'one country, two systems'," said the commissioner.