Perspective: Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)
Introduction
Following the defeat at the hands of the British in the First Opium War, China ceded the island of Hong Kong in the ‘Treaty of Nanking’ in 1842. The Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutters Island were later surrendered to the UK in the ‘Convention of Peking’ in 1860. After the First Sino-Japanese War, European nations forced China’s Qing dynasty to lease ports and chunks of land for defense and trade against one another. Britain took advantage and expanded the territory of Hong Kong for 200 miles in the ‘Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory’ (Second Convention of Peking) in 1898. The lease of the collective known as ‘New Territories’ was signed for a term of 99 years set to expire in 1999. In the ‘Sino-British Joint Declaration’ of 1984, the UK agreed to transfer the colony to the Chinese government in 1997, provided China promised Hong Kong’s economic and political independence for 50 years following the transfer. China’s implementation of prescreening of election nominees and implementation of laws to strengthen national security was protested in 2014. Enforcement of National Law and the proposal of the extradition amendment bill, allowing fugitives to be taken over to mainland China was also not well received by the residents.
China’s Stance
The Government of the People’s Republic of China believes the ‘Sino-British Joint Declaration’ as now void and lacking significance, and thus does not bind the central government’s authority to rule and manage Hong Kong. Moreover, treaties signed with European powers are discriminatory and exploiting in nature and thus considered to be unequal and non-operational after the transfer.
The solution as proposed by PRC
The Government of China supports Hong Kong’s autonomy until 2047 as promised with no interference to the SAR (Special Administrative Region). China also recognizes the importance of national security and its duty to protect and defend the SAR while also being responsible for its foreign affairs. China also does not agree with Britain’s proposal of supervision over the implementation of policies and treaties as China is sovereign in nature. China has been friendly and supportive of the elected governments as demonstrated with the appeal against Hong Kong’s Supreme Court in
1999 by its government.
The Government of China proposes the following policies to ensure national safety and integrity:
- Introduction of an education system that promotes Chinese patriotism over time, ensuring Hong Kong will once again enjoy its original culture and identity with China. This will also aid the SAR in recognizing its past and welcome its future with the great nation of
China, instead of a separate way of life. The education of 156 glorified years of British rule in the colony promotes a pro-Hong Kong stance and instills new generations to fight and protest China, which needs to be removed. - Implementing national policies to ensure safe and fair means of election, which includes necessary vetting of candidates and supervision of the voting process by the central government. As Hong Kong is a SAR of China, candidates who are pro-Beijing are welcomed for the smooth and coordinated functioning of the local governments with the government of PRC.
- Hong Kong is a part of China and its citizens are inevitably a responsibility of the Government of China. Hong Kong in the past served as a safe haven for criminals and conspirators against the Communist Party of China, threatening national security. China
respects the autonomy of SARs and would deal with SAR citizens who are accused of wrongdoings with their respective laws and not Chinese law when extradited to mainland China for trial and justice. - Identification by the UK as Hong Kong being an integral part of China and recognizing to have no more control or authority over the former colony. China is solely responsible for ensuring Hong Kong’s smooth transfer of power and authority from the independent and local government of Hong Kong to the Government of China over a span of 48 years from 1999 to 2047.
All the above-mentioned policies ensure the future of Hong Kong after 2047 and the evolution of the SAR from a capitalist economy to a socialist economy while shifting from ‘One Nation, Two Systems’ policy to ‘One Nation, One System’ policy. PRC hopes Britain to understand its position on the agreement, with no responsibility for Hong Kong and within China’s internal affairs. PRC in the past faced challenges internally and externally but have been successful in overcoming them without foreign aid and help, proving the government’s stability and expertise.