Better Safeguard National Security, Brighter Future for Hong Kong
没有国家安全，就没有香港的繁荣稳定
Ambassador Xu Hong
徐宏大使
4 June 2020
2020年6月4日
Since the turbulence over the amendment bill last June, the “Hong Kong independence” organizations and radical localists have been colluding with external forces to create frequent riots in Hong Kong. And the situation has become more and more intense, posing an increasing threat to China’s national security. In response to this situation, in late May, the National People’s Congress, China’s highest legislative body, passed a “Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to Safeguard National Security”, which was warmly supported by the Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots. China’s legislation to safeguard its own national security is absolutely justified, and is purely China’s internal affair. However, a few countries in the world turn a blind eye to the will of the Chinese people, and make unwarranted accusations against the decision. Very few countries even threat to impose sanctions on China.
去年6月“修例风波”以来，“港独”组织和本土激进分离势力勾连外部势力在香港频频制造暴乱，且有愈演愈烈之势，使中国的国家安全受到日益严峻的威胁。针对这一情况，5月下旬，中国最高立法机关—全国人大通过一项《关于建立健全香港特别行政区维护国家安全法律制度和执行机制的决定》，得到中国人民包括香港同胞的热烈拥护。中国立法维护自己的国家安全，本是天经地义，纯属中国内政，然而，国际上却有少数几个国家无视广大中国人民的意愿，对此横加指责，个别国家甚至以制裁相威胁。
It’s known to all that for every country, national security is the fundamental prerequisite for its survival and an important manifestation of sovereign independence. All countries, be they unitary or federal, attach great importance to national security legislation, with no exception. In the US, there are more than 20 legislations on national security, of which the wide coverage and strict implementation measures of the legislations are incomparable to other countries in the world. Since similar legislation could be done by every country in the world, why does it become a problem in HKSAR of China?
大家都知道，对于任何一个国家而言，国家安全都是其赖以生存的根本前提，是主权独立的重要体现。世界各国无论是实行联邦制还是单一制，都高度重视国安立法，概莫能外。其中美国制定的国安立法多达20余部，其覆盖范围之广、执行措施之严都令其他国家望尘莫及。各国都可以做的事，为什么在中国香港就成为问题了呢？
One of the arguments is that China’s practice violates its international obligations under the international agreement (that is, the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration). This is, however, completely a pseudo-proposition. People with this argument simply cannot even point out which clause of the Joint Declaration China has violated. The core essence of the Joint Statement is the realization of Hong Kong’s return to China, and this historical mission has been completed already. Although in the Joint Declaration were basic policies of the Chinese government toward Hong Kong mentioned (as elaborated in Paragraph 3 and Annex I of the Joint Declaration), it should be noted that these were policies announced by China on its own in the form of “unilateral declaration of the Chinese government”, and by no means aroused any international obligation to the British side. China had clearly pointed out to the British side in the negotiation that neither the issue of sovereignty was negotiable, nor was the issue of jurisdiction; and the implementation of the policies were purely internal affairs of China, which had nothing to do with the British side. In fact, the policies declared by the Chinese side had been incorporated into the Basic Law of the HKSAR and had been comprehensively and effectively implemented through laws. There is no single word – in the Basic Law or the Joint Declaration and its annexes – to deprive or weaken the power and responsibility of the Central Government to maintain national security in the HKSAR. It is totally groundless to say that China violates the international agreement.
一种说法是，中国这一做法违反了中国依国际协议（即1984年《中英联合声明》）承担的国际义务。这完全是一个伪命题，他们根本无法指出中国违反了《联合声明》的哪一条款。《联合声明》的核心要义是实现香港回归，这一历史使命已经完成。虽然其中提及中国政府对香港的基本方针政策（包括声明正文第三条和附件一），但这些都是中方以单方面声明的形式所作的政策宣示，而不是对英方承担的国际义务。中方在谈判中早已向英方指明，主权问题不容商量，治权问题也不容商量；落实有关方针政策是中方自己的事，与英方无关。事实上，中方声明的上述内容均已纳入《香港特区基本法》，通过法律得到全面有效落实。无论是从《基本法》中还是从《联合声明》及其附件中，都找不出一个字剥夺或削弱中央政府在香港特区维护国家安全的权力和责任，说中方违反国际协议是毫无根据的。
The “supervision” of the implementation of the Joint Declaration claimed by the UK, however, is the typical mentality of colonialism. Human history has entered the 21st century. The era when one country could wantonly interfere in the internal affairs of other countries is gone for ever. However, some countries still attempt to interfere in China’s Hong Kong affairs by misinterpreting the Joint Declaration. This is severely against basic principles of international law and norms governing international relations, including mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and non-interference in internal affairs. The UK should deeply rethink its words and deeds, and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs. Instead, it should listen to the just appeal of most countries in the world, implement the advisory opinion delivered by the International Court of Justice on the Chagos Islands in 2019 as soon as possible, and return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius at an early date to complete the decolonization of Mauritius.
至于英国声称有权“监督”《联合声明》的落实，则是典型的殖民主义思想在作祟。人类历史已经迈入21世纪，肆意干涉他国内政的时代已经一去不复返了。一些国家仍试图通过曲解《联合声明》对中国香港事务指手画脚，这是严重违背相互尊重主权和领土完整、不干涉内政等国际法原则和国际关系基本准则的行径。英国应该深刻反思自己的言行，不要再就香港问题说三道四，而应顺应世界绝大多数国家的正义呼声，尽快落实国际法院2019年就查戈斯群岛案作出的咨询意见，早日将查戈斯群岛交还毛里求斯，完成毛里求斯的非殖民化进程。
The second argument is that the legislative power for national security has been granted to the HKSAR, so it is in the purview of the HKSAR’s autonomy, and is therefore no longer within the central authority. However, this is purely misleading. National security is closely related to sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Central Government is responsible for upholding national security, as is the case in any country. This is basic common sense which is self-evident. This has also been reflected in the existing laws of HKSAR. For example, according to the 1997 Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance of the HKSAR, the HKSAR should give notice to the Central Government in relation to every Hong Kong requests and external requests on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. On the ground that “the interests of China in matters of sovereignty, security or public order would be significantly affected” by such mutual legal assistance, the Central Government has the power to issue instructions which the government of HKSAR should comply with.
第二种说法是，国家安全的立法权已授予香港特区，属于香港自治权的范畴，而不再属于中央事权。这种说法纯属误导。国家安全与主权和领土完整密切相关，在任何国家都属于中央事权，这是不言自明的基本常识。香港现有法律对此也早有体现。例如1997年《香港刑事事宜相互法律协助条例》规定，香港与外国开展刑事司法协助时，均应通报中央政府；如中央政府认为有关协助事项有可能严重影响中国“主权、安全或公共秩序”，则有权对特区政府发出指示，特区政府应当遵行。
It must be made clear that the Article 23 of the Basic Law – stating that Hong Kong shall enact laws on its own to prohibit seven types of acts that endanger national security – is a constitutional duty of HKSAR, instead of an exclusive power. The Central Government’s developing national security legislation and applying it to the HKSAR is an inherent power of the top legislature in a sovereign country and is fully in compliance with the Constitution of China and the Basic Law. In the 23 years since the return of Hong Kong, due to the obstruction of internal and external anti-China forces, HKSAR has not completed the legislative task stipulated in Article 23 of the Basic Law. In fact, Hong Kong has become a rare case in the world without any national security legislation, which is extremely abnormal and must not continue any more. It is against this background that the National People’s Congress decisively exercised its legislative power and fill up the loophole at this critical and urgent time. There is no conflict between the NPC’s legislation and Article 23 of the Basic Law, which means HKSAR still needs to fulfill its duty of local legislation following the Basic Law in order to cooperate with national law to form a institutional assurance that effectively maintain national security in the Hong Kong SAR.
必须明确，《香港基本法》第23条关于香港应自行立法禁止七类危害国家安全行为的规定，是给特区施加的一项宪制性义务，而不是赋予其一项排他性权力。国家制定国安立法并适用于香港特区，是主权国家最高权力机关的固有权力，完全符合《宪法》和《基本法》。香港回归23年来，由于内外反中乱港势力的阻挠，香港特区一直没有完成《基本法》第23条规定的立法任务，事实上使香港成为世所罕见的不受任何国安立法约束的地方，这是极不正常的，决不能持续下去了。正是在此背景下，全国人大果断行使立法权，弥补这一法律漏洞，实属必要和刻不容缓。全国人大的立法与《基本法》第23条并无冲突，香港特区仍需履行依《基本法》第23条承担的责任，尽早完成本地立法，与全国性立法相配合，形成在香港特区有效维护国家安全的制度保障。
The third argument they raise is that the legislation by Beijing and the establishment of a national security agency in Hong Kong will restrict Hong Kong’s human rights and freedom, impair Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, and lead to “One Country, One System”. This worry is completely unnecessary. First, the implementation of “One Country, Two Systems”, “Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong”, and a high degree of autonomy are basic national policies independently chosen by China, not imposed by any foreign country. No other country, more than China itself, wants Hong Kong to maintain long-term prosperity and stability and it hopes that “One Country, Two Systems” will be stable and far-reaching. The enactment of Hong Kong-related national security legislation will only improve the “One Country, Two Systems” system and will not affect its capitalist system or independent judicial power, or derogate the rights and freedom of expression, press and assembly enjoyed by Hong Kong residents according to law. Second, the Decision of National People’s Congress pointed out clearly that the Hong Kong-related national security legislation targets only very few acts that seriously endanger national security, such as secession, subversion against the Central People’s Government, organizing and carrying out terrorist activities and foreign interventions in affairs of the Hong Kong SAR. After all, only a handful of people may engage in these activities. For other people who do not, there is nothing to worry about.
第三种说法是，由北京立法并在香港设立国安机构，将会限制香港的人权与自由，损害香港高度自治，导致“一国一制”。这种担忧完全是多余的。首先，实行“一国两制”、“港人治港”、高度自治，是中国自主选择的基本国策，而不是任何外国强加给中国的。没有任何一个外国比中国更希望香港保持长期繁荣稳定，更希望“一国两制”行稳致远。制定涉港国安立法，只会使“一国两制”制度体系更加完善，而根本不会影响“一国两制”框架下香港实行资本主义制度及其独立的司法权等，不会影响香港居民依法享有的言论、新闻、出版、集会等各项权利和自由。其次，全国人大决定明确指出，将要制定的涉港国安立法针对的仅是极少数严重危害国家安全的行为，包括分裂国家、颠覆国家政权、组织实施恐怖活动等严重危害国家安全的行为和活动以及外国和境外势力干预香港特区事务的活动。从事这些活动的人毕竟只是极少数，只要不去从事这些活动，就没有什么可担心的。
The situation in Hong Kong in the past year has fully demonstrated that the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong cannot be achieved without maintenance of national security. Some thugs now openly advocate “Hong Kong independence”, smash and burn everywhere, indiscriminately attack innocent civilians, destroy public facilities, challenge rule-based governance. Violent terrorist activities continue to escalate, and illegal interference by external forces is more emboldened, which have seriously threatened the lives and property of residents, and greatly affected investors’ confidence in Hong Kong. The main reason for these chaos is the weak foundation of national security. Therefore, taking the NPC legislation as an opportunity to improve Hong Kong’s legal system and enforcement mechanism for safeguarding national security will better protect the rights and freedom enjoyed by Hong Kong residents according to law, better protect the high degree of autonomy of Hong Kong, so that to create conditions to solve deep-seated problems such as the economy and livelihood and create a more stable and reliable rule of law and business environment. And only under this premise can the concern of the business community about “violent terrorist activities”, “mutual destruction” and other chaos be eliminated, so that to create more favorable conditions for people from abroad who intend to work, invest, and live in Hong Kong.
近一年来香港局势的发展充分表明，国家安全得不到维护，香港的繁荣稳定就无从谈起。现在一些暴徒公然鼓吹“港独”，到处打砸抢烧，肆意攻击无辜平民，破坏公共设施，挑战政府管治，暴力恐怖活动不断升级，外部势力非法干预更加有恃无恐，使香港居民生命财产受到严重威胁，也极大影响了投资者对香港的信心。出现这种乱象的主要原因就是国家安全根基不牢。因此，以全国人大立法为契机完善香港维护国家安全的法律制度和执行机制，将更好保障香港居民依法享有的各项权利和自由，更好保障香港依法享有的高度自治权，为解决经济民生等深层次矛盾问题创造条件；也将有利于维护香港的法治环境和营商环境，消除商界人士对“暴恐”、“揽炒”等社会乱象的担忧，为世界各地愿意在香港工作、投资和生活的人创造更好的条件。
It seems that for certain country intending to use Hong Kong as a bridgehead to contain, infiltrate and destroy China, it is good to keep Hong Kong “undefended” in national security so that they can do whatever they want. And that is why they react so strongly toward Chinese legislation. However, maintaining national security concerns China’s core interests and is a just and necessary move by a sovereign country, therefore no room for compromise. No matter under what pressure, the Chinese government remains unwavering in its determination to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, implement “One Country, Two Systems” policy, and oppose external interference in Hong Kong affairs.
显然，个别国家本来就是要把香港作为遏制中国、对中国进行渗透破坏的桥头堡，他们希望香港在国家安全方面永远“不设防”，这样他们才可以为所欲为。正因为如此，他们才对于中国的立法举措反应如此强烈。但是，维护国家安全涉及中国核心利益，是中国作为一个主权国家的正义和必要之举，中国没有妥协空间。不管面对什么样的压力，中国政府维护国家主权、安全、发展利益的决心坚定不移，贯彻“一国两制”方针的决心坚定不移，反对任何外部势力干涉香港事务的决心坚定不移。
We have also noticed that not all countries that have expressed concerns on China’s above-mentioned legislation intend to endanger China’s national security. Some are misled and coerced. I would suggest these countries be calm and not parrot others to rush into conclusions, get blinded by ideological prejudice, or line up with camps and ignore the truth and facts. In the next step, the Chinese legislature will start drafting and formulating specific national security laws concerning Hong Kong in accordance with the Decision of the National People’s Congress. In the process, it will also consult the people of different sectors in Hong Kong in an appropriate manner. It is hoped that all countries could adopt an objective and fair approach, understand, respect and support the efforts of the Chinese government to maintain national security, and not interfere in China’s internal affairs in any way.
我们也注意到，并非所有对中国上述立法表达关注的国家都是意图危害中国国家安全，有的国家只是被误导、被裹胁。那么请这些国家稍安勿躁，不要人云亦云地轻易下结论，不要被意识形态偏见蒙蔽了双眼，也不要只以阵营划线而不顾事情的是非曲直。下一步中国立法机关将根据全国人大决定开始起草制定具体的涉港国安法，在此过程中还将以适当方式征询香港各界人士意见。希望各国本着客观、公正的态度，理解、尊重和支持中国政府依法维护国家安全的努力，不要以任何方式干涉中国内政。