Hong Kong Is Not a Lawless Place
香港不是法外之地
Amb. Liu Yuxi, Head of Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the African Union
驻非盟使团团长刘豫锡大使
25 May 2020
2020年5月25日
The National People’s Congress of China is deliberating a draft decision to establish and improve a legal framework and enforcement mechanism for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), which has aroused widespread attention. In order to understand the whole story, it is necessary to know about the history of Hong Kong first.
中国全国人大会议正在审议一项关于建立健全香港特别行政区维护国家安全的法律制度和执行机制的决定草案，引起各方广泛关注。为了让非洲朋友了解其中原委，我想先讲一讲香港的历史。
Like African countries, China had experienced similar bitter history of being the victim of aggression and colonization. The United Kingdom occupied Hong Kong by force in 1841 and set colonialism-like rules through a series of unequal treaties since 1842. Hong Kong returned to the motherland in 1997. For the purpose of keeping its stability and development, China kept the capitalism in Hong Kong through the “one country, two systems” policy.
中国和非洲国家都有被西方国家侵略和殖民的历史。英国于1841年强占香港，并从1842年开始通过一系列不平等条约对香港进行殖民式统治。1997年香港回归，为了保证其平稳、顺利发展，中国通过“一国两制”政策维持香港的资本主义制度。
But there remained a clear loophole in Hong Kong’s legal system and an absence of a mechanism of enforcement. All this has left the SAR “unprotected”. The turbulence over the amendment bill in Hong Kong last June has greatly undermined the SAR’s rule of law and stability and battered its economy and people’s livelihoods. The resulting economic losses have amounted to tens of billions of dollars. To make the situation even worse, there have occurred increasingly rampant activities of those “Hong Kong independence” elements. They clamored openly for “Hong Kong independence”, shouted slogans like “nation-building through armed forces” and escalated violence and terrorist acts. And in recent years, some foreign countries and various external forces have stepped up their undisguised interference in Hong Kong affairs. They engaged in activities that endanger China’s national security through legislation, administration, non-governmental organizations and other methods.
但此前留下的法律制度漏洞和执行机制缺失，使得香港处于“不设防”状态。去年6月香港发生修例风波，严重践踏香港法治，破坏社会稳定，重创经济民生，经济损失以百亿计。更为严重的是，“港独”势力活动日益猖獗，公然鼓吹“香港独立”、“武装建国”，不断升级暴力恐怖活动。同时，近年来，一些外国和境外势力公然干预香港事务，通过立法、行政、非政府组织等多种方式进行插手和捣乱，利用香港从事危害中国国家安全的活动。
Hong Kong has become a notable source of risk to China’s national security. No country will just sit by and do nothing to this kind of threat. Therefore, as the supreme organ of State power in China, and in accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Law of Hong Kong, the National People’s Congress has the power and responsibility to deliberate on legislation for upholding national security in the Hong Kong SAR. The fundamental purpose is to safeguard China’s sovereignty, security and developments, and ensure the advancement of “one country, two systems” in the right direction. It’s worth noting that “Hong Kong independence” elements, separatists and those organizing and joining terrorist activities are only form a tiny minority in Hong Kong. It is those people that must be punished in accordance with law. By doing so, we can protect the vast majority of the Hong Kong people who abide by law.
香港已成为中国国家安全的一个突出风险点。任何国家都不可能对这种威胁国家安全的隐患坐视不管。因此，此次全国人民代表大会作为中国最高国家权力机关，对香港特区维护国家安全立法问题进行审议，是依照宪法和香港基本法的规定履行权利和责任，根本目的是维护国家主权、安全和发展利益，确保“一国两制”沿着正确的方向前进。值得注意的是，“港独”、分裂者和组织参与恐怖活动的在香港是极少数，依法严惩的是这些极少数，保护的是遵纪守法的绝大多数香港市民。
Every country and its people have the right to choose its own way of development and the right to protect its core interests and security. African countries and China have struggled hard for a long time to break the colonial rules that lasted for a century. We will never be bound any more by the “remnants” and loopholes left by the colonization. I believe African brothers will show understanding and support for China’s position and action to uphold sovereignty and security, ensure Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, rein in illegal activities for “Hong Kong independence”, and oppose foreign interference in Hong Kong affairs.
每个国家及其人民都有自由选择其发展道路的权利，也有维护国家核心利益和安全的权利。中国以及广大非洲国家都经过长期奋斗才打破持续百年的殖民统治，决不会让殖民留下的“余孽”和漏洞继续束缚我们。相信非洲兄弟能够理解和支持中国维护国家主权和安全、维护香港繁荣稳定、打击“港独”等违法活动、反对外部势力干预香港事务的立场和行动。