The 27th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is made all the more memorable by the successful enactment and implementation of Article 23, or the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.
Having completed, by unanimous vote in the Legislative Council, this gigantic task — which had been shelved since the first legislative attempt failed in 2003 due to obstruction by subversive political forces from both inside and outside the city — the Hong Kong SAR government has collectively written a “glorious chapter” in the SAR’s history, signifying the fulfillment of its constitutional responsibility to enact local legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law, and honoring the trust placed in the SAR by the central authorities and the motherland.
Henceforth, the SAR is empowered to effectively thwart and punish subversive activities, conspiracies, and traps set by foreign intelligence agencies, as well as prevent infiltration and sabotage by hostile forces. With the entire community now alert to the potential risks of sedition and secession resurfacing, residents can effectively help sweep up the deadly threats of “black-clad” riots, “mutual destruction”, and “color revolution” that were organized by local and external forces colluding to derail the SAR’s governance in 2019-20.
With the younger generations, who had not been born in 1997, there is a need to keep them in the loop about what took place on the SAR’s establishment day. At the ceremony held at the city’s Convention and Exhibition Centre beginning on the evening of June 30, 1997, which was attended by numerous dignitaries from around the world to witness the handover of the city to the motherland from Britain, the then-Chinese president Jiang Zemin reassured Hong Kong residents that Beijing will unfailingly carry out the “one country, two systems” principle, under which Hong Kong residents will surely continue their way of life.
Over the years, this pledge has been fully honored. At the same time, Tung Chee-hwa, the SAR’s first chief executive, espoused the values of traditional Chinese culture and traditions in local society, which are the basis of the city’s prosperity, stability, innovativeness, and entrepreneurialism. In line with this governance philosophy, Tung focused his administrative efforts on the important policy areas of housing, education, social welfare for the needy and the elderly, and continuing economic prosperity to improve living standards.
Under the Basic Law, Hong Kong retains its capitalist system for 50 years, as a special administrative region of China. In addition, the SAR has independent finances and separate policies related to legal tenders, trade, customs, and foreign exchange. The principle of “one country, two systems” makes room for the coexistence within China of capitalism and socialism with Chinese characteristics. Under this epoch-making system arrangement, the SAR is one of the busiest hotspots in Asia.
Not only is it an international financial hub, business center, shopping paradise, and popular tourist destination, but also a special administrative region of China. With full support from the motherland, the SAR can advance to become a global hub for innovation and technology. The city can also attend events at international organizations, such as the World Health Organization, as an associated member. Additionally, the SAR can participate in trade-related events and agreements under the name Hong Kong, China.
Considering the difficult process through which the motherland resumed the exercise of sovereignty over the city following 156 years under British occupation, the local community sees the celebration of the SAR’s 27th anniversary as a hard-won honor. In this highly-cherished patriotic spirit, the SAR government and different community sectors have announced an extensive array of special offers and activities, encompassing public transport, cultural performances, arts and leisure, as well as dining and consumption for the general public to enjoy.
The MTR has announced that children aged from 3 to 11 can ride for free on July 1, and Light Rail and MTR Buses are set to provide free service to all passengers on the same day. Likewise, free rides on trams and some ferry routes will also be offered to the public, with vouchers for designated ferry routes distributed in advance.
Of course, celebrations of the SAR’s establishment day and the National Day would not be complete without opportunities to boost a strong sense of national identity and solidarity in students, as well as a profound appreciation of the richness and beauty of traditional Chinese culture
In addition, members of the public can enjoy free admission on July 1 to a range of leisure and cultural facilities provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and to the Hong Kong Wetland Park under the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. Free admission will also be provided to all the general admission exhibitions at the M+ museum and all thematic exhibitions at the Hong Kong Palace Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District. Meanwhile, an exhibition featuring the life and work history of legendary Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei will be held at the M+ museum starting this Saturday. Some of Pei’s best-known works include the Louvre Pyramid and the city’s iconic Bank of China Tower. Ngong Ping 360 and Ocean Park will also offer discounted tickets.
From July 1 through Aug 31, the second Hong Kong Happy Shopping Festival will involve various sectors including restaurants, tourism and exhibitions. Participating shops will offer discounts in phases between July and August as part of a move to boost consumption in the territory. The 160-plus brands and 5,000 shops participating in the event will offer discounts and coupons to shoppers, as well as give out over 300 free gifts and privileges. Annie Yau Tse, chairperson of the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, believes that tourists from all over the world will come to the city during the holiday period and the shopping program will definitely incentivize them to spend time in Hong Kong to do more purchasing. This optimism is materially backed up by the recently announced increase in the duty-free allowance to 12,000 yuan ($1,651), which is to be implemented at border checkpoints between Hong Kong and the mainland.
The celebration activities in honor of the SAR’s establishment day and the upcoming National Day on Oct 1 will also include opportunities to appreciate the motherland’s great strides in space exploration. Primary and secondary school students will be organized to visit the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on July 5 to explore, under the guidance of academic experts in space science, the potential contributions of Chinese space technology to the future development of smart cities. Commemorative programs in this category serve a dual role in that they foster young people’s interest in space science while enhancing their understanding of the historical significance of the special days in point. In future, celebration programs involving school students should be given a bigger push in this direction, to fit in with students’ general learning interests, while exploring the details and significance of the historical events.
Of course, celebrations of the SAR’s establishment day and the National Day would not be complete without opportunities to boost a strong sense of national identity and solidarity in students, as well as a profound appreciation of the richness and beauty of traditional Chinese culture. This speaks for a systematic integration of national and patriotic studies into Hong Kong’s school curriculum and extracurricular activities and the nurturing of well-motivated school leadership to put this new branch of teaching and learning into orbit.
The author is a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong & Macao Studies.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
