Albert Cheng

Opinion | Beijing’s national security law sounds the death knell for ‘one country, two systems’ and democracy in Hong Kong

With the enactment of a national security law for Hong Kong, most people will eventually give up struggling and accept their destiny. Only some idealistic young people will continue to fight for the impossible dream of full democracy

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Police stand guard to deter pro-democracy protesters from blocking roads in Mong Kok on May 27. Photo: AFP

Albert Cheng

Published: 9:30am, 29 May 2020Updated: 10:30am, 29 May 2020

The central government announced last Thursday that a new law concerning national security in Hong Kong would be tabled at its annual Two Sessions gatherings. The resolution has now been endorsed by the National People’s Congress, and the law is expected to be enacted swiftly. This, in effect, spells the end of “one country, two systems”.

After the political bombshell was dropped, the Hang Seng Index fell by more than 1,300 points the following day. The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has since announced that the State Department no longer regards Hong Kong as autonomous from China, signalling that the city no longer merits special trade treatment under US law.

Last year, with the passage of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, the city’s special trade status was made conditional on the secretary of state regularly certifying that Hong Kong maintains sufficient autonomy from mainland China.

If the US’ top diplomat fails to certify this, Congress can revoke the special treatment. Pompeo’s report indicates Hong Kong could soon be treated the same as mainland China for trade and other purposes.

Beijing’s move against Hong Kong is unprecedented. Was Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor even informed beforehand? It is Beijing’s imperative: the Hong Kong government and pro-establishment camp have no choice but to support the national security law for the city.

At the beginning of the discussion on Hong Kong’s future after 1997, many people panicked, triggering a wave of mass migration. In light of the citywide fear, two principles were agreed between Britain and China in the Sino-British Joint Declaration: “one country, two systems” and “Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong”.