China issues white paper on HK’s democratic progress under the framework of ‘one country, two systems’

NHT REPORT
ISLAMABAD, December 20: China’s State Council Information Office on Monday issued a white paper titled “Hong Kong: Democratic Progress Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems.” The white paper presented a comprehensive review of the origin and development of democracy in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), and the principles and position of the central government. Under British colonial rule, there was no democracy in Hong Kong, it said. The white paper pointed out that after resuming the exercise of sovereignty, the Chinese government implemented the basic policy of “one country, two systems” and established democracy in the HKSAR. It has since provided constant support to the region in developing its democratic system. “The determination, sincerity, and efforts of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government to this end have remained consistent and are obvious to any objective observer,” it read. Facts have proved time and again, the anti-China agitators in Hong Kong and the external groups behind them must be held to account for impeding Hong Kong’s progress towards democracy, the white paper noted. To put an end to the political turmoil in Hong Kong in recent years, a series of major decisions have been taken by the CPC and the central government, the white paper said. – PR