Beijing Gave HK Democracy After 1997: White Paper

Within hours of the conclusion of the first Legislative Council elections following Beijing's overhaul of Hong Kong's political system, the State Council published a white paper titled "Hong Kong: Democratic Progress Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems."

The report said the Communist Party of China (CPC) "has championed whole process people's democracy in China, and this has laid the groundwork for developing democracy in Hong Kong under the framework of One Country, Two Systems."

"Over the past century, the CPC has led the Chinese people on a long and arduous journey to establish a model of democracy with Chinese characteristics," enabling them "to run their own country with extensive and substantive democratic rights," it states.

Xinhua News Agency said the white paper also noted that "anti-China agitators in Hong Kong and the external groups behind them" must be held to account for impeding the SAR's progress towards democracy.

To put an end to the recent political turmoil in Hong Kong, the news agency quoted the white paper as saying, the CPC and the central authorities took measures to restore order, returning the SAR's democratic process to a sound footing.

"With their political vision, the CPC and the Chinese government are certain of the long-term success of the socialist system on the mainland," the white paper said.

"They are equally certain of the long-term success of both the capitalist system in Hong Kong and a form of democracy suited to its realities."

With "improvements to the electoral system", the paper concludes, "governance by patriots will be further strengthened, the rule of law and the business environment will continue to improve, and Hong Kong will become a more harmonious society."