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Patriotism ensures Hong Kong has a bright future | By Carol Cheung and Michael Lo
Patriotism ensures Hong Kong has a bright future | By Carol Cheung and Michael Lo
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region — the city’s monumental moment, setting the tone for social and political development in the upcoming decades.
Over the last 25 years, Hong Kong has prospered and blossomed under the “one country, two systems” framework, which has generated numerous opportunities that benefit all. To celebrate this important milestone moment, President Xi Jinping visited the special administrative region to inaugurate the sixth-term government and deliver a history-making speech to citizens.
Praising the city’s past success and highlighting the path to a bright future, President Xi’s remarks enlightened the city and provided a set of principles for the SAR government, and also the citizens, to follow.
President Xi started his speech by noting that throughout history, Hong Kong has maintained a close bond with the motherland. Though Hong Kong has been bestowed with a high degree of autonomy, the city shares a common social and cultural heritage with the rest of the country.
Patriots, therefore, should play an essential role in local affairs, and President Xi stressed that the SAR government should be all-patriots, with the power of authority belonging only to those who sincerely love the country and devotedly serve the public.
Asserting that no country in the world would allow unpatriotic or treasonous individuals to seize power, President Xi wisely stressed that patriotism was a fundamental, and sensitive, principle for the effective governance of Hong Kong.
For many people in Hong Kong, the memory of the havoc launched by unpatriotic elements within the government body is still fresh to this day. The danger of secession was real. Through disruptive filibustering and the strategy of “mutual annihilation”, some ex-lawmakers sought by every means to undermine the constitutional foundation upon which Hong Kong was built.
Between 2014 and 2020, at least 108 bills concerning social livelihoods, healthcare and infrastructure were delayed because of opposition filibustering and procedural time-wasting. Repeatedly calling for quorum counts — a count of all members present — was another tactic employed by unpatriotic lawmakers to obstruct the government.
Some even resorted to dirty tricks like dropping rotten plants and spilling foul liquid inside the Legislative Council chamber. If a politician claims to love Hong Kong, he should work on making Hong Kong a better place for all. The filibustering lawmakers, obviously, were anything but patriots.
It goes without saying that the government operates best when patriots concur on plans to improve livelihoods and when the legislative body is free from deliberate filibustering or dirty tricks. When the administrative body is committed to solving social problems, unnecessary disturbance from hostile forces is an unwelcome hindrance.
Patriots, on the other hand, can safeguard the principle of “one country, two systems” being faithfully carried out in the legislative body. Our government works best when our lawmakers work cooperatively and efficiently. The legislators are expected to be constructive and pass the bills that aim to serve the public good and accelerate the city’s development.
For decades, the Communist Party of China has been the leading force in China’s rapid development. We have seen indisputable advancements including the eradication of poverty, the construction of essential infrastructure, and the growth of the nation’s economy. The living standards of Chinese citizens have undoubtedly improved and China’s rise in the past years has been nothing short of astonishing.
The driving force behind the progress is patriotic governance. Therefore, patriotic governance in the special administrative region will be able to maintain social stability and accelerate development progress.
President Xi concluded the speech by asserting the importance of youth in shaping the city’s future, saying that young people should love Hong Kong. Young people are our future stakeholders in the business sector and leaders in the government, so they should be taught to be good and make correct decisions.
They must learn how to value a peaceful and harmonious social milieu; they are expected to secure social stability. They should be equipped with knowledge of the history of our nation and our city, so that they can adhere to the close bond with the motherland.
Finally, the youth in Hong Kong should acknowledge their cultural roots and appreciate Chinese civilization, and their pride in the nation should be nurtured. Thus, the young minds that grow up in Hong Kong can be ready to contribute to the nation. Hong Kong’s future is in the hands of juvenile citizens. Only by teaching them well to be patriots can the SAR embrace a bright future.
Unpatriotic individuals and hostile foreign forces should bear in mind that people’s livelihoods matter more than political rants. They should know that this old saying rings true — “no one makes money by betting against Hong Kong”. President Xi has ensured that Hong Kong has a bright future, and the city is ready to go for it.
Carol Cheung is co-convenor of China Retold and a member of Hong Kong Election Committee. Michael Lo is a member of China Retold.
ChinaDaily相關文章
https://www.chinadailyhk.com/article/280564#Patriotism-ensures-Hong-Kong-has-a-bright-future
