A series of commemorative and festive activities have been
carried out over the past few weeks on the Chinese mainland, in
Hong Kong, and in many Chinese communities worldwide, in the run up
to the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China.
These activities have taken various forms: symposiums and
workshops, gala performances, art exhibitions, sports competitions,
get-togethers in local communities, in addition to the release of
books, films and postage stamps related to this grand occasion.
Hong Kong had been separated from China for so long that quite a
few foreign nationals have mistaken it for another country. But its
actual status has always been imprinted on the heart of the Chinese
nation. An integral part of China from ancient times, Hong Kong was
forcibly ceded and then leased to the British in the 19th century
under three humiliating and unequal treaties between the weak and
incompetent Qing Dynasty's imperial court and the much more
powerful British Empire.
Little wonder that no sooner had Hong Kong finally broken off
from its century-old colonial rule, on July 1, 1997, when the
formal ceremony of Hong Kong's handover to China was held in the
territory, than Chinese across the globe were filled with joy. To
them, this epoch-making event symbolized both an end to the
nation's disgraceful past and the beginning of a new and promising
era for the well-being of the former British colony.
In the eyes of many Chinese around the world, the successful
return of Hong Kong is credited largely to the original and
forward-looking conception of the late Chinese leader Deng
Xiaoping. It was Deng who had devised the "one country, two
systems" approach, a political system never before adopted in the
history of mankind but proved to be highly applicable and
effective, as the experience of Hong Kong suggests, and it was also
him who had initiated a number of guiding principles for the
territory after the takeover.
These included the establishment of the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region, "Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong," "a high
degree of autonomy in Hong Kong," and the retention of the
territory's social, economic and legal systems, as well as the
lifestyle of local citizens. All these, along with the mature
political wisdom and dedication shown by the liaison teams of both
Chinese and British governments, paved the way for a smooth
handover of Hong Kong to China. They also guaranteed lasting local
stability and prosperity after 1997.
Since Hong Kong's return to the embrace of its motherland,
contacts and cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong have
been strengthened in great measure, including the joint endeavors
made during the SARS epidemic in the spring of 2003, and the
implementation of CEPA (Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement)
from 2002 to the present, which has brought the two economies even
closer. While earning huge benefits for both sides, these efforts
have resulted in faster economic and social development in the
territory, and are expected to help the people of Hong Kong feel
more confident about their own future.
Deng once said that China's policy toward Hong Kong, namely that
of "one country, two systems," will remain unchanged for 50 years.
Sure enough, indications are that it will not be changed in the
foreseeable future as long as the territory stays on course toward
a stable and prosperous future. If change does come, it would only
be for the better.
(Beijing Review June 2007)