People around the world are striving to cope with the challenges brought by the novel coronavirus. But Hong Kong’s battle is a unique one due to the arrangement of “one country, two systems”. As a city, Hong Kong has a lot of leeway to handle public health issues. As a special administrative region of “one country”, Hong Kong is not fighting alone against the infectious disease. The close relationship between Hong Kong and Beijing in the battle against the novel coronavirus was well-illustrated in an open letter recently written by Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong SAR. The letter is significant in the sense that it delivers three clear messages at such a critical time.

First of all, Luo noted the relationship between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. In the title of the letter, he used the words “we are all in the same boat”. This explained why the central government would fully support Hong Kong in fighting the novel coronavirus. For instance, the return of Hong Kong residents who have been stranded on board the Diamond Princessocean liner in Japan was the result of joint efforts by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the SAR government and the pro-establishment camp in Hong Kong. The joint efforts are based on the plain fact that Hong Kong is part of “one country”. This fact is crucial as some of the discussions on how to deal with the coronavirus, especially within the opposition camp, have wrongly viewed Hong Kong as a “separate entity”.

Secondly, Luo warned about the threat of a “political coronavirus”. He criticized “a few people, at this moment, still creating all kinds of conflicts for political self-interest”. The politicization of the health emergency stemmed from the wrong mentality mentioned above. The opposition camp, which organized a widespread anti-government campaign for months, is trying to make use of the public health crisis to fuel anti-government sentiment. The medical staff strike was one such maneuver. While organizing “trade unions” was a key strategy at the later stage of their anti-government movement to perpetuate it, they exploited the public health crisis for political gain.

The close relationship between Hong Kong and Beijing in the battle against the novel coronavirus was well-illustrated in an open letter recently written by Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong SAR

The threat from the “political coronavirus” may be more severe than those of the novel coronavirus. A small group of people, with only their own political agendas in mind, continue to create political confrontations, especially between Hong Kong and the mainland, at such a difficult time. Their acts are like another deadly coronavirus spreading in politics, which is harmful to the smooth implementation of “one country, two systems”. Instead of political tricks, Hong Kong needs solidarity and rationality at this crucial point in fighting the epidemic.

Last but not least, Luo stressed the importance of unity and concerted efforts. The most dangerous effect brought about by the politicized “medical staff strike” is that the reputation of the medical sector has been damaged, even though many doctors and nurses faithfully carried out their duties despite pressure exerted on them by those who participated in the strike. The strike has compromised unity which is crucial to a victory over the coronavirus. Putting its money where its mouth is, the central government has spared no effort in supporting the SAR’s fight against the virus. It has ensured the delivery of 17 million mainland-made face masks to Hong Kong; it also supported the SAR government’s efforts to reduce the cross-border personnel flow to curb the spread of the virus. Moreover, mainland-funded enterprises in Hong Kong have been working hard to stabilize the supply of daily necessities in Hong Kong. The central government has been supporting Hong Kong with concrete actions — not political gestures.

Luo’s letter was addressed to Hong Kong deputies to the National People’s Congress and local members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. It is a call for unity at this critical time. He called for concerted efforts by various sectors in Hong Kong to fight the deadly coronavirus. As Beijing’s top official in Hong Kong, Luo’s messages manifest the central government’s care and support for the SAR.

Former US president Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing.” We are facing fears, but we can build up our confidence in a victory over the virus. We should clear our minds and realize that our confidence comes from a solid faith in the common ground shared by Hong Kong and the mainland, or the fact that “blood is thicker than water”.

The author is senior research officer of the One Country Two Systems Research Institute.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.