Upholding national integrity and security is a key to correctly understanding the principle of 'one country, two systems', said vice-president Xi Jinping , as calls increased for Hong Kong to legislate for a previously shelved national security bill.
Xi said Hong Kong's system is closely linked to the mainland and it should respect Beijing's power at the same time as maintaining autonomy.
'As well as to maintain the economic system and lifestyle in Hong Kong and Macau, it should respect the basic socialist system in the nation. It has to uphold national sovereignty, integrity and security,' Xi said.
Xi's remarks came as a Hong Kong deputy to the National People's Congress, Peter Wong Man-kong, called for a fresh attempt to legislate for a national security bill under Article 23 of the Basic Law.
But Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai, a standing committee member of the NPC, said the Hong Kong government does not necessarily need to act on the proposal by 'certain NPC deputies'. 'The government will choose what it considers as the most suitable time,' former Legislative Council president Fan said.
'The government does not have to listen whenever NPC deputies make some suggestions.'