On Feb 10, China’s State Council Information Office released a white paper titled “Hong Kong: Safeguarding China’s National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems”. Far from being merely a historical account, the document provides a constitutional and institutional narrative of how Hong Kong’s stability has been restored and how the full and accurate implementation of “one country, two systems” has entered a new stage. Its central message is clear: National security is not the opposite of freedom and openness — it is their necessary foundation.
ecurity is indispensable to the survival and development of any society. Modern Chinese history offers a stark reminder of the consequences of national weakness. During the late Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), the country lacked the capacity to prevent the loss of territories, including Hong Kong. The peaceful return of Hong Kong to the motherland in 1997 marked a historic correction of that past. Yet reunification alone did not automatically resolve all structural vulnerabilities.
Under the Basic Law, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region enjoys a high degree of autonomy while the central government exercises overall jurisdiction over the HKSAR. Article 23 of the Basic Law entrusted the HKSAR with the constitutional responsibility to enact local legislation safeguarding national security. However, for many years this obligation remained unfulfilled. The absence of comprehensive legal safeguards created gaps that were exposed during successive waves of political turbulence.
From the 2003 protests against the proposed Article 23 legislation to the 2014 “Occupy Central” movement and the violent unrest of 2019-20, Hong Kong experienced increasing polarization and episodes of disorder. These events were not merely expressions of social dissatisfaction; they revealed weaknesses in institutional mechanisms designed to protect sovereignty and constitutional order. Social issues such as housing affordability and income inequality became entangled with political confrontation. Legislative processes were disrupted, and governance efficiency suffered.
No jurisdiction can sustain the rule of law if fundamental questions of sovereignty and constitutional order remain unsettled. In this sense, the national security legislation was not an expansion of power for its own sake, but a necessary step to restore legal clarity and institutional integrity.
The central authorities’ enactment of the Hong Kong SAR National Security Law (NSL) in 2020 addressed four categories of serious offenses: secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces or external elements. The subsequent completion of local national security legislation in 2024 fulfilled Hong Kong’s longstanding constitutional duty under Article 23. Together, these measures established a coherent legal architecture that closes previous loopholes while preserving the city’s common law tradition.
Importantly, the white paper emphasizes that the legal framework operates within — not outside — Hong Kong’s judicial system. As Chief Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung has observed, the NSL functions in “convergence, compatibility and complementarity” with local laws. Judicial independence remains intact. Trials are conducted openly; defendants are represented by counsel, and established common law principles — including the presumption of innocence and the requirement of proof beyond reasonable doubt — continue to apply.
The conviction of former media executive Jimmy Lai Chee-ying illustrates this point. His trial lasted more than 150 days. He was represented by a senior counsel and an experienced legal team. Proceedings followed established procedures, and sentencing reflected familiar common-law principles such as proportionality and deterrence. Regardless of political interpretations, the case demonstrated that national security cases are adjudicated through Hong Kong’s courts, according to legal standards, rather than administrative fiat.
By clarifying legal boundaries, the national security framework has strengthened — not weakened — the rule of law. The rule of law depends on predictability, institutional coherence and effective enforcement. When violence and external interference threatened public order in 2019, ordinary residents, small businesses and international investors alike faced uncertainty. Today, social order has been restored. Legislative processes proceed without paralysis. Public institutions operate with renewed stability.
Security has also reinforced the protection of rights and freedoms. The Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance remain in force. Freedoms of speech, press, assembly and religion continue to be protected in accordance with the law. What has changed is not the existence of rights, but the clearer demarcation between lawful expression and conduct that endangers national security. In any jurisdiction, rights coexist with responsibilities. By defining this boundary more precisely, the law enhances legal certainty for all.
The positive impact on Hong Kong’s openness and economic vitality is increasingly visible. Stability has bolstered investor confidence. The city continues to function as a global financial center, an international arbitration hub and a gateway between the Chinese mainland and the broader world. Its common law system, free flow of capital, convertible currency and independent monetary policy remain unchanged. With restored social calm, attention can return to economic transformation, innovation and deeper integration into national development strategies such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
For ordinary residents, security translates into tangible well-being. Schools operate without disruption. Public transport functions reliably. Businesses plan for the long term. Families no longer fear sudden outbreaks of street violence. Social energy can be redirected toward addressing pressing livelihood issues — housing supply, youth mobility, elderly care and economic diversification — rather than managing political confrontation.
The white paper places these achievements within a broader global context marked by geopolitical uncertainty and intensifying competition. In such an environment, safeguarding national security is not a temporary measure but a structural necessity. “One country” provides the constitutional foundation; “two systems” thrives when that foundation is secure.
Nearly three decades after its return to the motherland, Hong Kong stands at a new starting point. The completion of its national security legal framework marks not the narrowing of its distinctiveness, but the consolidation of its institutional strengths. Security has restored the conditions under which the rule of law, rights and freedoms, openness and prosperity can endure.
The central government’s commitment to “one country, two systems” remains steadfast and long-term. With stability firmly anchored, Hong Kong is well positioned to focus on development, enhance its global competitiveness and improve the well-being of its people. In this sense, the white paper conveys a confident message: By safeguarding national security, Hong Kong has strengthened the very qualities that make it unique.
The author is convenor of the Executive Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
