home > by region > asia > east asia > hong kong > Hong Kong's Tough Balancing Act: One Country, Two Systems?
Email
September 17, 2003
Council on Foreign Relations
[Note: A transcript of this meeting is unavailable. The discussion is summarized below.]
What We Know: On July 1, 2003, half a million people took to the streets of Hong Kong in protest against their government. It was a defining moment for Hong Kong—it served as a wake-up call, both for the Hong Kong administration and for Beijing. The protests were attributed primarily to three factors: concern over Article 23 of the Basic Law, “lackluster” economic performance coupled by rising unemployment, and citizens’ general dissatisfaction. After July 1, Beijing’s attention shifted back to Hong Kong and to the importance of maintaining the “One Country, Two Systems” arrangement. It was said that closer ties between the Hong Kong government and Beijing do not signify the fraying of the “two systems,” but rather represent the strengthening of the “one country” concept. This strengthening will foster a mutually beneficial relationship between Hong Kong and the mainland.
What We Don’t Know: Article 23 has been mired in controversy, and there is still no timetable for its passage. The Hong Kong administration wants to move forward sensibly, taking care to reach out to the citizens of Hong Kong, to take their opinions into account, and to achieve a true consensus. It was frequently stressed that it is crucial that legislation have the broad support of the people. This concept coincides with Hong Kong’s long-term democratic aspirations. However, it was also emphasized that officials and public servants cannot impose a timetable on democracy.
What Are the Next Steps: For the time being, the government of Hong Kong will focus its energies on consulting its citizens and ensuring that Hong Kong retains its distinct advantages, values, and features. Hong Kong has a unique history and identity. Therefore, it would be impossible simply to copy the U.S. or U.K. system: Hong Kong’s political reforms will not be imported nor developed from scratch, but will instead be built upon Hong Kong’s pre-existing institutions. Furthermore, it is crucial that the administration open-up its lines of communication with all parties—including those which have not traditionally been administration-friendly. This is especially important now, because in recent years the Hong Kong government has isolated various sectors of its population. The July 1 protests provided a glimpse of the power exercised—and threat posed—when a silent majority finds its voice.
CFR offers a variety of email newsletters about up-to-date CFR.org material on what’s happening around the world.
Enter your email address and click 'Go' to subscribe.
CFR Experts are based in CFR’s New York and Washington offices. Each expert's bio page contains his or her contact information, professional and educational history, links to publications and current research, a downloadable one-page biographical narrative, and a high-definition photo.
Identifying international threats and acting on them may be the most difficult job for U.S. policymakers. This report
provides an actionable road map for managing international threats before they erupt into crises and makes a strong case that preventive action is not a luxury but a necessity.
For more than a decade, the United States has mostly watched from the sidelines as Asian countries organize themselves into an alphabet soup of new multilateral groups. In this report, the authors review the relationship between pan-Asian and trans-Pacific institutions and suggest policy guidelines for a new U.S. approach to this new Asian landscape.
Complete list of Council Special Reports
Start-Up Nation addresses the trillion-dollar question: How is it that Israel—a country of 7.1 million, only sixty years old, surrounded by enemies— produces more start-up companies than large, peaceful, and stable nations like Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada, and the UK? With the insights of geopolitical experts and investors, the authors examine this nation’s adversity-driven culture to answer this question and offer prescriptions for a global economy on the rebound.
In Forces of Fortune, Vali Nasr presents a paradigm-changing revelation that will transform the understanding of the Muslim world at large. He reveals that there is a vital but unseen rising force in the Islamic world—a new business-minded middle class—that is building a vibrant new Muslim world economy and that holds the key to winning the cold war against Iran and extremists.
In Cuba: What Everyone Needs to Know, Julia E. Sweig presents a remarkably accessible portrait of Cuba's unique place on the world stage over the past fifty years, including its internal politics, its often fraught relationship with the United States, and its shifting relationship with the global community.
Complete list of CFR Books
Copyright 2009 by the Council on Foreign Relations. All Rights Reserved.
Global Economy 