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.