Real aim of opposition

Some opinions based on an erroneous understanding of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle have emerged during recent discussions of the Chief Executive (CE) Election by universal suffrage. These opinions are somewhat fascinating and found some "fans" in the patriotic camp. It's not really surprising since the opinionators include members of the patriotic forces, which is why we must set the record straight on this issue.

The "One Country, Two Systems" principle is a groundbreaking invention of monumental proportions. When late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping brought it up during negotiations between China and Britain back in the 1980s over Hong Kong's future, he made it absolutely clear that "One Country" is China and "Two Systems" refers to social systems, namely, socialism and capitalism. It is definitively enshrined in Hong Kong's Basic Law.

The "One Country, Two Systems" principle has been a subject of contention ever since its publication, but nothing is farther from the truth than that "Two Systems" (also) refer to political systems. The opposition camp and its Western masters have certainly been champions in distorting and misinterpreting the "One Country, Two Systems" principle since Day 1. They have been trying to make it look like "democracy" or "universal suffrage" is all they want, which is only half-true at best, because democracy is not and never will be, the end. For them, power is always the end and democracy just a means to gain and maintain it.

What the opposition and their foreign masters want is Hong Kong's governing power, and the easiest and most glamorous way to take it is by "universal suffrage". To do so they must convince people that "One Country, Two Systems" boils down to the distinction between democracy and something else, and one country is negligible next to "true democracy". That means they have been lying all the time.

The author is a current affairs commentator.

(HK Edition 08/30/2013 page9)