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‘PLA in Hong Kong not strawman, Beijing can intervene’: NPC official

Hindustan Times, Beijing | ByHT Correspondent
Aug 25, 2019 04:47 PM IST

Tam was quoted by the state media as saying that if unrest takes place in Hong Kong, the central government could “of course” step in to restore order and peace and ensure the proper functioning of ‘one country, two systems’.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) garrison in Hong Kong is not a “strawman” and could step in to control the ongoing unrest in the city to protect the “one country, two systems” principle, an official from China’s legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), said over the weekend.

Hong Kong has seen mass protests and unrest over the last few weeks.(REUTERS PHOTO.)
Hong Kong has seen mass protests and unrest over the last few weeks.(REUTERS PHOTO.)

“The soldiers stationed in Hong Kong are not strawmen meant to just stay in the garrison, they are an important part of the ‘one country, two systems,’ “ Maria Tam Wai-chu, deputy director of the Hong Kong SAR Basic Law Committee of the NPC’s Standing Committee said at a seminar in Shenzhen on Saturday.

Tam was quoted by the state media as saying that if unrest takes place in Hong Kong, the central government could “of course” step in to restore order and peace and ensure the proper functioning of ‘one country, two systems’.

“Weeks of violence and chaos have persisted in the special administrative region, with some secessionist forces backed by a foreign power constantly challenging the model that ensures Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy as well as the country’s sovereignty,” the nationalistic tabloid, Global Times said in a report.

Under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle, Hong Kong citizens enjoy rights like press freedom and the right to gather, which are not available to mainland citizens.

“If the ‘one country, two systems’ does not exist anymore, it will be a huge loss for [China] but will be bearable because all it needs to do is to implement ‘one country, one system’ in Hong Kong; however, that will be a disaster for Hong Kong and a complete loss that is unbearable,” Wang Zhenmin, former director of the Legal Affairs Department of the central government’s liaison office in Hong Kong, said, adding that the scenario is ‘completely predictable’. “Is that what some of these people want?”

Macao elects new Chief Executive

Ho Iat Seng, the lone candidate of the fifth-term chief executive (CE) election of China’s Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), was declared the winner here on Sunday, official news agency, Xinhua, reported.

Ho, at the conclusion of the voting, said he will spare no effort to uphold the principals of “one country, two systems”, “Macao people governing Macao” and “a high degree of autonomy”.

“I will unswervingly carry out my duties and governance in strict accordance with the constitution and the basic law to serve the people, the SAR and the country,” Ho said.

The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post described Ho as a “media-shy Beijing loyalist with deep mainland ties”.

In 2018, the International Monetary Fund forecast that by 2020, the gambling hub of Macau would overtake Qatar with the highest per-capita gross domestic product of any country or jurisdiction in the world.

“The global casino hub’s economy will reach the equivalent of some US$143,116 (S$196,230) per person by 2020, according to projections from the IMF. That will put Macau ahead of the current No. 1 Qatar, which will reach US$139,151 in the same timeframe,” Bloomberg reported.

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