HONG KONG – Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said on Monday she “greatly welcome” publication of a white paper by the central government, “which gives a detailed and systematic historical account of Hong Kong's democratic development”.
“The publication of the white paper upon the successful completion of the first general election of the Legislative Council under the improved electoral system serves to pre-emptively address the major issue of Hong Kong's democratic development, leaving no room for slandering by external forces,” she said in a statement.
Referring to the white paper titled "Hong Kong: Democratic Progress Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems", she said the SAR government fully supports it and will cooperate with the central government to strongly refute any fallacious criticism of the LegCo election.
Full Text: White paper on Hong Kong's democratic development
“We are much encouraged to note that the central government emphasizes in the white paper that it will continue to develop and improve democracy in Hong Kong in line with the actual situation and in accordance with the Constitution, the Basic Law, and the relevant decisions of the National People's Congress and its Standing Committee; and it will work with all social groups, sectors and stakeholders towards the ultimate goal of election by universal suffrage of the Chief Executive and all members of the Legislative Council.”
Unfortunately, being misled by anti-China forces, Hong Kong's democratic process has deviated from the Basic Law for years, causing great political disputes in society and hindering the development of the economy and livelihoods.
Carrie Lam, Chief Executive, HKSAR
She encouraged people, especially the younger generation and students, to read the white paper to strengthen correct understanding of the development of democracy in the SAR. “As long as our citizens have a deeper understanding of ‘One Country, Two Systems’, respect the constitutional order of the HKSAR and proactively safeguard national security, democracy in the HKSAR can certainly continue to move forward in a gradual and orderly manner,” she said.
The white paper points out that there was no democracy whatsoever in Hong Kong under British colonial rule; while the central government has been supporting democratic development in the city in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Basic Law since its return to the motherland, Lam said.
“From the account detailed in the white paper, one can clearly see that since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, anti-China forces have not only disrupted the development of democracy in the HKSAR, but they have also been spreading false ideas with ulterior motives to undermine the relationship between the HKSAR and the central government.”
“They even challenged the bottom line of national security as well as the authority of the central government and the Basic Law under the pretext of ‘democracy’, and used Hong Kong to infiltrate the mainland, seriously threatening the prosperity and stability of the HKSAR and national security,” she said.
The publication of the white paper has provided strong justifications for the work done by the central and HKSAR governments to improve the SAR's electoral system in order to implement the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong", she said.
“Some countries practicing Western democracy have attempted to impose their own standards of democracy on others, but they do have various problems of their own. Such acts only serve to demonstrate that those countries are overbearing and arrogant,” the Hong Kong leader said.
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The SAR is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China and has been integrated into the national governance system since its return to the motherland, she stressed.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor speaks to the media a day after the 2021 Legislative Council General Election on Dec 20, 2021 at the Central Government Offices in the city. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)
The democratic development of the city must conform to the constitutional order as enshrined in the Constitution and the Basic Law and adhere to the principle of "One Country, Two Systems", while taking account of the actual situation of Hong Kong, she added.
“Unfortunately, being misled by anti-China forces, Hong Kong's democratic process has deviated from the Basic Law for years, causing great political disputes in society and hindering the development of the economy and livelihoods,” said Lam.