‘End one-party rule’ advocates are HK’s foes: Beijing

Beijing’s top representative in Hong Kong on Saturday said people who call for the “end of one-party rule” are the “real enemies” of the SAR.

Luo Huining was speaking at a forum organised by the central government’s offices in Hong Kong as part of an event to mark the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party.

“Those who chant ‘end one-party dictatorship,’ reject the party’s leadership on the ‘One country, Two systems’ principle, turn Hong Kong into a pawn and a tool in geopolitics to suppress China … are destroying the foundation of the principle,” he said.

“They are the real enemies of Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.”

The Beijing official didn’t name any parties or individuals in his speech, but the organisers of the annual candlelight vigil to commemorate the Tiananmen Square massacre have been calling for the end of “one-party dictatorship” on the mainland for decades.

Luo said no one knows the value of the “One country, Two systems” better than the Communist Party and no one is more adamant about safeguarding the original intent of the policy than the party.

History will continue to disprove people who “smear” Hong Kong, who declare the “two systems” are dead, he said, describing them as ignorant and biased.

Facts will also continue to show that safeguarding the the party’s leadership means safeguarding Hong Kong’s bright future and fundamental interests of the territory’s residents, Luo added.

Also at the forum, Chief Executive Carrie Lam thanked the Communist Party’s leadership, saying despite the “unprecedented political challenges” Hong Kong faced in the past two years, the party had followed the constitutions and Basic Law in ending the problems.

Beijing imposed the National Security Law on Hong Kong almost a year ago and introduced sweeping changes to the territory’s electoral system to make sure only “patriots” are allowed to take part in elections.

Critics say the moves have undermined the territory’s autonomy and freedom.