Phoenix TV:

We can see that the white paper covers a very long time span of 180 years from the colonial times to nowadays. Why does the white paper travel such a long time into the past and adopt a historical perspective? Thank you. 

Zhi Zhenfeng:

I will answer this question. The essence of the question is how democracy has been created and developed in Hong Kong. Though a basic fact, the answer has been distorted on purpose for a long time. There is a widespread hearsay or myth that the democracy in Hong Kong was bestowed and initiated by the British. It is truly a hearsay or rumor. To say that the British colonists bestowed democracy on Hong Kong is to fabricate a lie deliberately. Only by exposing the lie can we reveal the real picture from the very beginning. 

One of the important functions of the white paper is to help clarify facts and set the record straight. Over the years, the Hong Kong agitators have colluded with external anti-China forces to manipulate facts. As a result, many people, including some Hong Kong compatriots, have got a vague or even misinformed understanding of the origin and development of democracy in Hong Kong. This allowed anti-China agitators to foment considerable trouble. Over the years, they have confused truth and falsehood, instigated and abetted illegal activities, incited masked rioters to violence and caused social unrest. Again and again, democracy in Hong Kong was held back by them. History is the best textbook. Therefore, the white paper covers a long history in order to clarify historical facts and set the record straight.

The white paper presents basic facts about the origin and development of democracy in Hong Kong. On one hand, it exposes the lies fabricated by the U.S. and the U.K. about Hong Kong's democracy. During more than a century of British colonial rule, the U.K. had constantly undermined, disrupted and obstructed the development of democracy in Hong Kong. Simply put, under British colonial rule, there was no democracy in Hong Kong. As Alexander Grantham, the 22nd governor of Hong Kong appointed by the British government, wrote in his memoir, "In a crown colony the Governor is next to the Almighty." At the end of its colonial rule, the British government rushed through the so-called "electoral reform" in Hong Kong, which violated the Joint Declaration of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the Question of Hong Kong (Sino-British Joint Declaration). It also violated the principle of aligning Hong Kong's future political system with the Basic Law, as well as previous agreements and understandings reached between the two sides. Known as the "Three Violations," these were imposed in Hong Kong against the basic rules of democratic development. Instead of bringing democracy to Hong Kong, its ulterior motives for doing so were to pervert the democratic system designed by the Basic Law and turn Hong Kong into a de facto independent or semi-independent political entity against the region's due constitutional status. The vicious intention of the U.K. was to undermine China's full governance over Hong Kong after the country resumed its sovereignty over the region, and extend British political influence after Hong Kong's return to China. In fact, this was part of a British attempt to portray their withdrawal as somehow "honorable" at the end of colonial rule.

On the other hand, the white paper says the CPC and the Chinese government designed, created, safeguarded and advanced Hong Kong's system of democracy. It makes clear where democracy in Hong Kong came from, that is, "the return of Hong Kong to China ushered in a new era for democracy." First, China's state system determined that Hong Kong would establish a system of democracy after its return to China. People's democracy is the life of socialism, a brilliant banner that has always been held high by the CPC, and an ideal that has always been cherished by the CPC and the Chinese people. Hence, Hong Kong would definitely establish a system of democracy after its return to China. Second, the central government has remained committed to the policy of One Country, Two Systems and to the Basic Law of the HKSAR, fully supporting the orderly development of democracy in Hong Kong in accordance with the law. Also, the central government has taken significant steps to advance democracy in Hong Kong, including giving the approval to amend election methods for the Chief Executive and the LegCo, setting a timetable for universal suffrage, drawing up a roadmap for electing the Chief Executive by universal suffrage and so on. In response to the obstruction and disruption by anti-China agitators and those external groups behind them, the central government has taken a series of decisive measures that addressed both the symptoms and root causes of the unrest to restore order to Hong Kong, bringing its democratic progress that underpins One Country, Two Systems back on track.

Therefore, we have reasons to believe that by gradually implementing the principle of Hong Kong patriots governing Hong Kong, combined with continued progress in promoting the new electoral system, Hong Kong's democratic development will steadily advance in accordance with the One Country, Two Systems principle and the realities in Hong Kong. To sum up, the future of Hong Kong's democracy is unlimited and bright. Thank you.