Xi at the inauguration of Hong Kong’s new chief executive
There is no need to change the current one country, two systems system
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who attended the inauguration of Hong Kong’s new chief executive, said on the 1st (local time) that there is no reason to change Hong Kong’s ‘one country, two systems’, known as one country, two systems.
When Hong Kong was returned to Britain in July 1997, China promised to guarantee Hong Kong’s autonomy and judicial independence until at least 2047.
However, some criticized that it was impossible to maintain the one country, two systems that Xi had promised, saying that the Chinese government is horribly trampling on Hong Kong’s independence.
Hong Kong’s freedoms have been severely limited as the Chinese government enforced the Hong Kong Security Law in 2020 after massive anti-Chinese protests in Hong Kong.
The United Kingdom and the United States, which were watching the situation in Hong Kong, including the introduction of the Hong Kong Security Law, evaluated that China had failed to keep its promise of one country, two systems.
In contrast, China and Hong Kong claimed that their security laws allowed Hong Kong to “reorder order from chaos.”
In this regard, President Xi said, “The promise of one country, two systems was successful under the comprehensive interpretation of jurisdiction (in mainland China).”
He added, “There is no reason to change the (current) one country, two systems system, and it should be maintained for a long time.”
Xi said he will actively support Hong Kong’s role as a hub for international finance and trade.
Jo Se Ilbo / Reporter Hwang Joo-young [email protected]