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The true meaning of "One Country, Two Systems": How did the unique status of Hong Kong and Macau come about?
“One country, two systems” is a constitutional principle of the People’s Republic of China, mainly used to describe the governance model of the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao. This principle was proposed by Deng Xiaoping during the negotiations between Britain and China on the Hong Kong issue in the early 1980s. The principle stipulates that there is only one China, but each region can retain its independent economic and administrative system. 」
"The concept of one country, two systems is intended to ensure that Hong Kong and Macao will continue to have a high degree of autonomy and independent legal and economic systems after the handover."
With the return of Hong Kong and Macao to China in 1997 and 1999 respectively, the implementation of this principle has aroused varying degrees of attention and discussion from all walks of life. The core of "One Country, Two Systems" is that although mainland China implements socialism, Hong Kong and Macao can maintain their existing capitalist system and lifestyle for 50 years.
The formation of Hong Kong's special status
Hong Kong became a British colony in 1841 and was ruled by Britain for 156 years. This history has exposed Hong Kong to a unique political and economic environment. With the handover in 1997, the Chinese government pledged to follow the terms of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, ensuring that Hong Kong retains its current legal and economic systems.
"The Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region clearly stipulates that the socialist system and policies cannot be implemented in Hong Kong, and the original capitalist system and lifestyle will remain unchanged for 50 years."
However, what continues to cause controversy is the vague terminology of "universal suffrage" in the Basic Law. Although Hong Kong citizens hope to achieve universal suffrage, the official legal document does not provide a specific timetable for its implementation.
Situation in Macau
Macau was a Portuguese colony since 1557 and returned to China in 1999. Like Hong Kong, Macao's arrangements are protected by the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Macao Basic Law. Under these terms, Macau will be able to retain its unique economic system, legal system and currency after the handover.
“Like Hong Kong, Macau also needs to deal with the administrative and legal interpretation relationship with the central government after its return.”
As a result of these arrangements, Macau has its own monetary system and enjoys a certain degree of autonomy in its health, social welfare and education policies.
Application to Taiwan
In addition to Hong Kong and Macau, Deng Xiaoping also stated that the concept of "one country, two systems" was also being considered for the unification of Taiwan. However, the Taiwan government still maintains a negative attitude towards this proposal, and the response in the international community has aroused widespread concern.
Issues and Challenges of Implementation
Since the passage of the Hong Kong National Security Law in 2020, many countries have heightened concerns about China, believing that the law seriously infringes on Hong Kong's autonomy and the principle of "one country, two systems." The condemnations from the United States and Britain also reflect international concerns about this policy.
“For Hong Kong citizens, the impact of the National Security Law and the intervention of the central government are undoubtedly testing their confidence in ‘one country, two systems’. 」
Ways forward
Many officials, such as Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, have also said that if the "one country, two systems" policy can be continuously promoted and its implementation improved, the system may even be extended beyond 2047 and 2049.
“Senior government officials have repeatedly mentioned that if the concept of ‘one country, two systems’ can be continuously implemented, it will have a positive impact on future development. 」
However, the specific extension measures and vision remain unclear. As the political environment continues to change, whether the unique status of Hong Kong and Macao can continue effectively remains a question worth pondering.
