Hong Kong admonishes US panel for calling future of ‘one country, two systems’ increasingly uncertain
Congressional committee on human rights and rule of law in China cites disqualification of six Hong Kong lawmakers and jailing of 16 activists in report
The Hong Kong government on Friday rejected a US congressional report that deemed the “one country, two systems” model as unsustainable, urging foreign legislatures not to meddle in the city’s internal affairs.
The long-term viability of “one country, two systems” governance in Hong Kong has become increasing uncertain after going through “further erosion”, according to an annual report by a US congressional panel tasked to monitor China’s rule of law.
The Hong Kong government admonished the report in a statement.
“Since the return to the motherland, the HKSAR has been exercising a high degree of autonomy and ‘Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong’ in strict accordance with the Basic Law,” the government said.
“This demonstrates the full and successful implementation of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle, which has been widely recognised by the international community.”
The US report, released on Thursday, said the long-term viability of the “one country, two systems” model was in jeopardy given central government interference. Under the model, Hong Kong is guaranteed a high degree of autonomy for 50 years after its return from British to Chinese rule in 1997.