Enactment of Article 23 Goes to Heart of 'One Country, Two Systems': Official

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, June 15, 2003

Enactment of Article 23 Goes to Heart of 'One Country, Two Systems': Official

The enactment of Article 23 goes to the very heart of what "One Country, Two Systems" is all about, a Hong Kong official said Saturday.

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The enactment of Article 23 goes to the very heart of what "One Country, Two Systems" is all about, a Hong Kong official said Saturday.

Speaking at a Hong Kong University Conference on National Security Legislation, Acting Permanent Secretary for Security Timothy Tong noted that they undoubtedly have a moral obligation to legislate on their own to protect the security of the country, as Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China.

"We also have a constitutional and legal duty to do so under the Basic Law, which we must not forget is a national law of China," he added.

Talking about the National Security (Legislative Provisions) Bill which is under examination at the Legislative Council, Tong pointed out that while the "Two Systems" principle allows for the continuation of their way of life, it is clear the subject of the protection is the common interest of "One Country", regardless of one's political views or ideological aspirations.

"The requirement imposed under Article 23 is clear and reasonable - to protect the security of our country using our own Hong Kong laws," he said.

The National Security Bill has been drafted with the protection of human rights uppermost, Tong said, adding that it is stated not once, but three times, that all its provisions must be interpreted, applied and enforced consistent with Chapter III of the Basic Law, and consistent with international standards on the rights and freedoms of the individual.

According to him, the Basic Law is probably unique amongst other better-cited constitutions, in that it affords equal protection for the rights and freedoms of all residents in Hong Kong, without any prerequisites for nationality or citizenship.

The consultation on the enactment of Article 23 that took place from September to December last year was one of the largest ever conducted in Hong Kong, during which two points are beyond dispute, Tong stressed.

First, the full results of the consultation have been revealed to the public in the clearest and most objective manner possible. Second, a majority of people supported the constitutional duty to legislate to protect national security, Tong pointed out.

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