Recently, the National People’s Congress (NPC), the top legislature of China, has adopted a decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security.

The decision, made in accordance with China’s Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR, is a totally natural and justified move, as Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, and its affairs fall entirely within China’s domestic affairs.

However, the decision has placed some external forces with ulterior motives on pins and needles. They gave a so-called joint statement regarding the national security legislation, threatened to plan a strong response, and lobbied for “immediate attention.”

These hegemonic actions, with an attempt to interfere in Hong Kong’s affairs and blatantly interfere in China’s internal affairs, cannot intimidate the Chinese people and are doomed to fail.

The reason why Hong Kong has become a prominent risk of China’s national security can be largely attributed to foreign interference.

From the illegal movement of “Occupy Central” in 2014 and the turbulence over proposed legislative amendments in 2019, external forces have been emerging from backstage. They kept on pointing fingers at Hong Kong affairs, fanning the flames of discontent, flagrantly ratcheted up pressure on the Chinese government and the HKSAR government, and encouraged opposition.

By particularly taking advantage of Hong Kong’s national security loophole in legislation, they colluded with anti-China forces in Hong Kong, clamored for “Hong Kong independence,” “self-determination” and “referendum,” and applied the “burn with us” tactic in society, politics and economy.

With an ill intention to destroy the future of Hong Kong and the principle of “one country, two systems,” the external forces are turning the HKSAR into a bridgehead of anti-China activities, a base camp of violence, and instigating a “color revolution” in Hong Kong, so as to contain China. Such an intention is obvious to all.

Only thieves hate burglar-proof doors. Those with a sinister intention now begin to act like a cat on hot bricks, as they come to realize that China is going to establish and improve its legal system and enforcement mechanisms for Hong Kong, and their opportunities to divide, overthrow, destroy and make inroads into the country are diminishing. Agitated and flustered, they are repeatedly resorting to threatening and intimidation.

Of course, they still need excuses, so they kept on whitewashing the violent rioters as pro-democracy fighters, stigmatizing the law enforcement of Hong Kong police as violent suppression, and hailing the violent acts as a fight for freedom, no matter how these acts have trampled on the laws.

The double standards only exposed their ugly faces covered up by “human rights,” “democracy,” and “freedom,” as well as their malicious motives of disrupting Hong Kong and containing China’s development.

Their anxiety now exactly exposes their desperation, and their strong opposition against China’s decision to make Hong Kong national security laws also reveals their true intention to disrupt China and Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is a part of China. Nobody values the special administrative region as much as the central government does; nobody cares about the prosperity and stability of the HKSAR and its people’s well-being as much as the central government does; and nobody implements the principle of “one country, two systems” and the Basic Law as earnestly as the central government does.

Since the modern times, the Chinese people have gone through tremendous sufferings and made huge sacrifices. The painful history of being weak and torn apart is still a fresh memory, and to achieve national rejuvenation and reunification always remains their tireless pursuit.

The founding of the People’s Republic of China signaled that the days are gone when imperialism could conquer the country with just a few cannons. Before Hong Kong returned to its motherland, the country also made it clear that sovereignty is non-negotiable.

In the new era when the Chinese nation is marching towards national rejuvenation, it is merely a pipe dream to force China to give ground on core interests such as sovereignty and security by intimidation or coercion.

China’s resolution to safeguard its security can be stopped by no one. The decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security received lasting applause when deputies voted overwhelmingly to approve it on May 28.

To safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, implement “one country, two systems” and oppose any external interference in Hong Kong affairs is a firm determination of the Chinese people and a strong commitment of China.

Do not go against the trend of time, the will of the 1.4 billion valiant Chinese people, or the international law and basic norms governing international relations. That’s a stern warning for the external anti-China forces disrupting Hong Kong. Otherwise, only resolute countermeasures and a shameful failure await them.