National Security Guarantees Hong Kong’s Prosperity and Stability
国家安全是香港繁荣稳定的保障
Ambassador Li Chao Published a Signed Article on Estonian Newspapers Õhtuleht and Äripäev
李超大使在爱沙尼亚《晚报》和《营业日报》发表署名文章
June 4 2020
2020年6月4日
A few days ago, the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) approved the Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to Safeguard National Security. The legislation, which enjoys extensive support from Chinese people, including in Hong Kong, is only targeted at actions that jeopardize China’s national security, such as splitting the country, subverting the government, committing terrorist activities and externally meddling in Hong Kong affairs. The Decision has attracted wide attention and I would like to take this opportunity to share with my opinions.
日前，中国全国人大通过了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。这个决定针对的是分裂国家、颠覆政权、组织实施恐怖活动及外国和境外势力干预等危害中国国家安全的行为，得到了包括香港同胞在内的中国人民的积极支持和响应。决定引起广泛关注，我愿借此机会与大家分享几点看法。
Only the State legislature has the legislative power on issues concerning national security. National security concerns China’s core interests. It is in fact the basic foundation for the survival and development of any country in the world. In all countries, unitary and federal alike, only the State legislature has the legislative power on issues concerning national security. Every country around the world attaches great importance to its national security and most of the countries have legislation related to national security. Some countries even have dozens of laws related to national security. The extremists and external forces have taken advantage of the absence of a national security law in Hong Kong and various activities endangering the national security have been intensifying. Especially since the turbulence over proposed legislative amendments last June, we have seen increasingly rampant activities by “Hong Kong independence” organizations and radical localists in Hong Kong, escalating violence and terrorist activities as well as excessive, unlawful foreign meddling in Hong Kong affairs. Extremists set fire on the street, threw petrol bombs and Molotov cocktails everywhere. They attacked, imprisoned and beat police and civilians. All this has placed national security in serious jeopardy and imposed a grave threat to the practice of “one country, two systems”. It has exposed a notable legal gap and flaws when it comes to safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong SAR. Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, Hong Kong affairs are China’s internal affairs. The Central Government holds the primary and ultimate responsibility for national security in all sub-national administrative regions. It also enjoys and exercises all necessary power accordingly. This is the basic theory and principle underpinning national sovereignty and a common practice in countries around the globe. The NPC’s decision embodies the power and responsibility of the State.
国家安全立法属于国家立法权力。国家安全是国家生存发展的基本前提，关乎国家核心利益。世界上任何国家，无论是实行单一制还是联邦制，国家安全立法都属于国家立法权力。放眼全世界，任何一个国家都高度重视国家安全，绝大部分都有涉国家安全的立法，有的国家甚至有几十部涉及国家安全的法律。香港的“不设防”给了暴恐分子和外部势力“空子”，导致香港危害国家安全的各种活动愈演愈烈。特别是去年修例风波以来，“港独”组织和本土激进分离势力日益猖獗，暴恐活动不断升级，极端分子当街纵火、四处投掷汽油弹和燃烧弹，暴力对抗警方执法，袭击、禁锢、围殴警察和平民，外部势力深度非法干预香港事务，这些都对中国的国家安全造成了严重危害，也对推进“一国两制”构成了巨大威胁，充分暴露了香港特区在维护国家安全方面存在的明显法律漏洞和工作缺失。香港是中国的一个特别行政区，香港事务是中国内政，中央政府对于所属的地方行政区域的国家安全负有最大和最终的责任，也享有和行使一切必要的权力，这是基本的国家主权理论和原则，也是世界各国的通例，全国人大关于香港国家安全立法的决定是国家权力和职责所在。
The decision does not amend the basic law of Hong Kong. Article 23 of Basic Law states that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region “shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central People’s Government, or theft of state secrets, to prohibit foreign political organizations or bodies from conducting political activities in the Region, and to prohibit political organizations or bodies of the Region from establishing ties with foreign political organizations or bodies.” More than 20 years after Hong Kong’s return, however, relevant laws are yet to materialize due to the sabotage and obstruction by those trying to sow trouble in Hong Kong and China at large as well as the external hostile forces. Actually, the legislation for Article 23 has been stigmatized and demonized by some with ulterior motives and is in the risk of being “shelved” for a long time. Meanwhile, some provisions in Hong Kong’s current laws which can be used to maintain national security have also been put aside for a long time. The Decision was made by the NPC in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. It is a system arrangement made at the national level to establish and improve the Hong Kong SAR legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security. It does not contradict the Basic Law of Hong Kong and will not replace or exclude Hong Kong’s constitutional responsibility and legal obligations under the Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law to maintain national security by itself. The HKSAR should still complete the legislative tasks of Article 23 of the Basic Law as soon as possible.
决定没有修改香港基本法。香港基本法第23条规定：“香港特别行政区应自行立法禁止任何叛国、分裂国家、煽动叛乱、颠覆中央人民政府及窃取国家机密的行为，禁止外国的政治性组织或团体在香港特别行政区进行政治活动，禁止香港特别行政区的政治性组织或团体与外国的政治性组织或团体建立联系。”然而，香港回归20多年来，由于反中乱港势力和外部敌对势力的极力阻挠、干扰，23条立法一直没有完成，且已被一些别有用心的人严重污名化、妖魔化，23条立法有被长期“搁置”的风险。香港现行法律中一些源于回归之前、本来可以用于维护国家安全的有关规定，也长期处于“休眠”状态。决定是中国全国人大根据宪法有关规定作出的，是从国家层面就建立健全香港特区维护国家安全法律制度和执行机制作出的制度安排，与香港基本法并行不悖，并没有取代、排斥香港基本法23条规定的香港自行立法维护国家安全的宪制责任和法律义务，香港特区仍应尽早完成基本法23条立法任务。
The Decision can better protect the legitimate rights and interests of Hong Kong residents. Since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, its residents have enjoyed more extensive rights and freedom than at any time in history. Yet rights and freedom are not without limits. The constitutions of more than 100 countries in the world clearly stipulate that no one can exercise their fundamental rights and freedom at the expense of national security. Safeguarding national security is an important prerequisite and foundation for protecting human rights and the rights and freedom of Hong Kong residents. Sabotaging and robbing are not freedom. Violent attack on the police is not freedom. Destroying public property is not freedom. Clamoring for Hong Kong’s “independence” challenges the red line of the “one country, two systems” principle and seriously violates the Basic Law of Hong Kong. The NPC decision targets a very narrow category of acts that seriously jeopardize national security and not the citizens who obey the law. It has no impact on Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents or the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors in Hong Kong.
决定能更好保障香港居民合法权益。回归以来，香港居民享有比历史上任何时候都更广泛的权利和自由，但任何权利和自由都不是绝对的，世界上100多个国家的宪法都明确规定，任何人行使基本权利和自由均不得危害国家安全。维护国家安全是保障人权、保护香港居民权利自由的重要前提和基础。“打、砸、抢”不是自由，暴力袭警不是自由，毁损公共财物不是自由，鼓吹“港独”更是严重挑战“一国两制”原则底线，严重违反香港基本法。决定针对的只是极少数严重危害国家安全的行为，而不是遵纪守法的绝大多数普通市民，不影响香港的高度自治，不影响香港居民的权利和自由，不影响外国投资者在香港的正当权益。
The Decision ensures the steady and sustained implementation of “one country, two systems”. The Chinese government remains firmly committed to faithfully implementing the “one country, two systems” principle. It is firm in the determination to oppose any foreign meddling in Hong Kong affairs. The central government has sufficient sincerity and confidence to ensure that the “one country, two systems” policy remains unchanged and is unwaveringly upheld, as well as sufficient determination and capabilities to ensure that in practice it is not bent or distorted. To safeguard national security is an essential part of the “one country, two systems” principle. Without national security, there will be neither lasting peace and stability for China nor long-term prosperity and stability for Hong Kong. “one country, two systems” will also lose its very foundation. Regarding to the Sino-British Joint Declaration, as China resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997, the rights and obligations of the British side were completely fulfilled. And the Chinese government started administering it, in accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Law, not the Joint Declaration.
决定确保“一国两制”方针行稳致远。中国政府全面准确贯彻“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。中央有足够的诚意和信心确保“一国两制”方针不会变、不动摇，同时也有足够的决心和能力确保“一国两制”实践不变形、不走样。维护国家安全是“一国两制”的核心要义。没有国家安全，就没有国家的长治久安和香港的长期繁荣稳定，“一国两制”就失去赖以生存的基础。至于《中英联合声明》，随着1997年中国恢复对香港行使主权，其所规定的与英方有关的权利和义务都已经全部履行完毕。中国政府治理香港特别行政区的法律依据是中华人民共和国宪法和香港基本法，不是《中英联合声明》。
I had the privilege of working in Hong Kong in the past and had experienced the unique charm of Hong Kong. Hong Kong is the “Pearl of the East” where has beautiful natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage. Hong Kong society operates efficiently and its residents are dedicated, hardworking and caring. I feel sad about the turbulence there. Violence and unrest should not belong to this city. I firmly believe that the Decision will definitely bring prosperity and stability back to the “Pearl of the East” and make the it shine more brilliantly.
我曾有幸在香港工作过，亲身感受过香港的独特魅力。香港是一颗璀璨的“东方之珠”，自然景观与人文风光交相辉映，社会运转高效，香港居民敬业、勤劳且富有爱心。骚乱让我感到难过，暴力和动乱不应该属于这个城市。我坚信，决定必将让东方之珠回归繁荣稳定，绽放更加夺目的光彩。