The replacement of the director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the SAR has aroused concern over a likely change in the central government’s policy toward Hong Kong. Luo Huining, the newly appointed Liaison Office chief, did not mention the subject of “ending violence” in his first public speech here on Jan 6.
Luo said: “People have been deeply worried about the situation in Hong Kong in the past six months or so. We all eagerly hope Hong Kong can return to the right track. As President Xi Jinping said in his New Year message to the nation, without a harmonious and stable environment, how can there be a home where people can live and work happily? We sincerely wish the best for Hong Kong and our compatriots there.”
The president’s New Year message was in fact a tacit reiteration of his earlier speech that emphasized “the most pressing task for Hong Kong at present is to bring violence and chaos to an end”. It is precisely the “black revolution” that is undermining the harmony and stability of Hong Kong, to the point that many local residents now often fear for their safety and the well-being of their families.
As a matter of fact, in a meeting with Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor in Beijing on Dec 16, Xi expressed his hopes for Hong Kong society to unite as one and work together to put the city back on track. Luo included Xi’s words in his speech to show the public that the central government’s expectations for the HKSAR remain unchanged.
The SAR government must abandon its habit of overlooking the importance of molding and guiding the popular psyche and master this art as soon as possible
In a nutshell, Luo is tasked with helping the SAR government crush the “black revolution” and unite all sectors of society to put Hong Kong’s development back on track.
This no doubt will be an arduous task because foreign powers led by the United States instigated the “black revolution” in an attempt to seize the governing power of Hong Kong. It is an unprecedented and grave threat to China’s sovereignty, national security and development interests. The social unrest spawned by the “black revolution” has cost Hong Kong dearly, turning many places into danger zones and severely undermining its long-term prosperity and stability.
The proposed amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance were not only opposed en masse by the anti-China and the anti-communist camp but also questioned by political groups representing the business community that is traditionally patriotic — this was unheard-of in Hong Kong history. Moreover, the differences over the extradition law amendment bill did more than divide the patriotic camp. It also revealed the hidden fact that some members of the business community and professionals are more pro-US and pro-United Kingdom than pro-China. That is why they chose to dance to the beat of anti-China drums when Washington and London joined forces in attacking the SAR government on all sides. As tension between the US and China grows, it is impossible to prevent further divisions in the patriotic camp in Hong Kong. In other words, it is imperative yet difficult to unite and strengthen the patriotic camp.
As such, it is fair to say Luo has not only a tremendous responsibility but also a long treacherous road ahead as director of the Liaison Office in the HKSAR. In addition to ending violence and quelling social unrest, it is also imperative that the patriotic camp retain its majority in the Legislative Council in the LegCo election in September. The current situation in Hong Kong suggests the anti-China and anti-communist camp could win more seats in geographical constituencies than in the previous LegCo election. The pro-establishment camp must therefore maintain the incumbent majority seats by winning in the functional constituencies. This will require the current administration to significantly improve governance and policymaking. At the same time, all the patriotic groups must enhance their alliance and unity in such efforts. Luo, on the other hand, had no prior experience in Hong Kong affairs or frequent contacts with influential people in Hong Kong. In some observers’ opinions, his lack of “baggage” should work in his favor when it comes to establishing a friendly rapport with Hong Kong residents across the social and political spectra as much as possible.
The results of the sixth-term District Council elections in November have revealed voters’ dissatisfaction with the SAR government. Separatism has gained a foothold, and the nominal relationship between Hong Kong society and mainland compatriots seems to have hit rock bottom. If the SAR government does not significantly improve its governance and crush secessionism, riots will reoccur even if it is able to curb the violence now. Luo is responsible for ensuring the central government’s overall jurisdiction over the HKSAR without compromising the high degree of autonomy of the HKSAR. His new job will be critical as well as challenging, to say the least.
To regain public confidence and change people’s minds on the SAR government, the administration must take concrete measures to resolve the deep-seated political, economic and social issues in Hong Kong. It must also dispel the myth surrounding the future and destiny of Hong Kong created by separatists. The SAR government is apparently not experienced or good at guiding public opinion. It must understand this is an art it has to master in order to maintain faithful implementation of “one country, two systems” for as long as necessary. To do so, the SAR government must abandon its habit of overlooking the importance of molding and guiding the popular psyche and master this art as soon as possible. The Liaison Office can assist the SAR government in this respect however necessary.
The author is a senior research fellow of China Everbright Holdings.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
