So-called referendum deceptive and dangerous

Song Sio-Chong | 25 June 2014 | China Daily

The “Occupy Central” campaign supporters have asked the Hong Kong public to select from three proposals, each of which includes an element of civil nomination for the Chief Executive in the 2017 election. This is a deceptive tactic – undemocratically decided upon – by the civil disobedience movement. They also plan to lead a massive occupation of Central to paralyze the financial heart of the city. The organizers believe this will make the central government bend to local pressure.

They must be dreaming if they think the central government, which has made the “One Country Two Systems” policy such a success, will give in to an unlawful movement. The One Country, Two Systems policy and the arrangements for universal suffrage outlined in the Basic Law are legitimate and justified. So any movement opposing them has to be illegitimate and unjustified.

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Hong Kong will always be part of China

Eric Sommer | 25 June 2014 | China Daily

A large number of Hong Kong residents are taking part in an informal – mainly Internet-based – poll to “determine” whether they want to have a more direct say in nominating candidates for the post of Hong Kong’s “chief executive” in future elections. More than 700,000 Hong Kong residents had voted until the third day of the 10-day “referendum” organized by “Occupy Central” forces.

The central government agrees to universal suffrage in future Hong Kong elections, but has denounced the poll as “illegal” and “invalid”, and emphasized that “the high degree of autonomy of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region is not full autonomy, nor a decentralized power … the Hong Kong people who govern Hong Kong should above all be patriotic.”

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‘Occupy Central’ poll ignores reality

Ho Lok-sang | 24 June 2014 | China Daily

News that the number of people who voted in the poll organized by the “Occupy Central” group had quickly attained over half a million, may surprise some observers. But this is entirely understandable in view of the belief, stirred up by the mass and social media, that Hong Kong people’s basic rights are under threat and that they need to defend them by voting in the “Occupy Central” poll.

It is unfortunate that Hong Kong people have a lack of understanding of the law. If they understood the importance of the Basic Law, they would not choose to arbitrarily deviate from it as do those who espouse civil nomination. If they understood that the Basic Law is binding for the central government, they would not believe that rejecting civil nomination was aimed at depriving Hong Kong people of their right to nominate a candidate of choice for election as Chief Executive.

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The opposition should accept reality and behave appropriately

Leung Lap-yan | 16 June 2014 | China Daily

The White Paper on the Practice of the “One Country, Two Systems” Policy in the Hong Kong SAR gives a detailed account of the development and achievements of Hong Kong under the “One Country, Two Systems” policy from the central government’s viewpoint. The paper can be summarized into three parts: 1) the considerable achievements of the “One Country, Two Systems” policy since the handover; 2) the role of the Hong Kong SAR under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, and 3) the need for “Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong” by patriots in the SAR government.

Every part of the white paper has its significance. First, it lists the most remarkable achievements by the “One Country, Two Systems” policy since the handover.

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