SAR govt stresses consensus on 'one country, two systems' principle

Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, stressed on Monday that strictly upholding and precisely implementing the "one country, two systems" principle is the foundation of the city's long-term stability and prosperity.

On Sunday, the HKSAR government urged people to respect the city's constitutional order under the "one country, two systems" principle, stressing that to attain consensus on the principle is the basis of any political reform.

It also strongly condemned rioters' attacks on police officers on Sunday afternoon. The SAR saw another round of violent protests on Sunday when a group of radical protesters occupied roads and indulged in arson at several locations.

They tossed gasoline bombs at police stations and attacked police officers without anti-riot gear, leaving four of them injured in the head, with fractured fingers and forehead. Two of them were still in hospital on Monday.

Luo said that since Hong Kong's handover in 1997 to the motherland, safeguarding national sovereignty, security and developmental interests has become the SAR's basic constitutional responsibility and political requirement.

In his article published in the Chinese newspaper People's Daily, Luo said the liaison office will, as always, support the HKSAR government in establishing and improving the legal systems and executive mechanisms to safeguard national security, and strengthen relevant law enforcement.

Otherwise, the principle could be at great risk of being undermined, with reckless infiltration from foreign forces, he said.

On Sunday, the HKSAR government also urged the community to understand and respect the constitutional arrangement for the city under the "one country, two systems" principle, after thousands of protesters gathered to demand "universal suffrage".

A government spokesman said the community needs to understand that apart from being accountable to the SAR, the chief executive selected through universal suffrage is appointed by and shall also be accountable to the central government.

"This is the constitutional order under the 'one country, two systems' principle," the spokesperson said.

Constitutional development must be conducted in strict accordance with this principle, the spokesman stressed.

The spokesman also expressed disapproval of demands made by some protesters, urging foreign governments to impose "sanctions" on Hong Kong.

Foreign governments, legislatures or organizations have absolutely no role in matters relating to Hong Kong's constitutional development, the spokesman emphasized.

The community needs to reach a consensus on these core principles and resolve differences through dialogue in a peaceful manner and with mutual trust.

Otherwise, it will be very difficult for society to hold any constructive discussions on constitutional development, the spokesman added.

Noting that four police officers had sustained serious head injuries after they were attacked by rioters with poles and other weapons on Sunday, the government condemned the acts in a statement, saying it "completely disregarded law and order".

In a media briefing on Sunday evening, the police condemned Lau Wing-hong, the organizer of Sunday's public rally, for his "ridiculous and irresponsible" remarks in misleading radical protesters to attack police officers with bricks and batons.

Lau Wing-hong was arrested after the assembly as he had "contravened the conditions of the letter of no objection and repeatedly obstructed police", said Senior Superintendent (Operations) Ng Lok-chun of Hong Kong Island Region.

Police condemned the rioters for hijacking a public event and committing violent acts.

Had the protesters expressed their views rationally and peacefully, there would have been no reason for police to intervene, Ng added.