CE Takes Aim At Critics Of NSL And Electoral Overhaul

Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Saturday took aim at critics of Beijing’s moves to bring in the National Security Law and electoral changes to the SAR, saying any claim that the measures undermined the one country, two systems principle was mere "nonsense" which would be proven wrong.

Speaking at a seminar on Constitution Day, Lam said chaos during the anti-national education movement, the Occupy movement and the anti-extradition protests were all rooted in the fact that Hong Kong had not genuinely and comprehensively implemented one country, two systems since the handover.

But she said Beijing had acted decisively when Hong Kong was in trouble, and had restored order in the city.

She also said that with Hong Kong now back on track because of the security law and the electoral changes, the government would be able to focus more on tackling economic and livelihood issues and improving people’s lives.

She added that she believed relations between the government and the legislature will be smoother when lawmakers take office in the next Legislative Council term.

The CE stressed that the Chinese constitution is the legal source of the Basic Law, and the two legal documents together constitute Hong Kong’s constitutional foundation. She said all Hong Kong people are duty-bound to respect and safeguard the constitutional order.

Speaking at the same event, Luo Huining, the head of the Liaison Office, said the Chinese Communist Party’s leadership status is the “choice of history and the people” and is enshrined in the constitution.

He said to safeguard the SAR’s constitutional order, one must respect and safeguard the leadership status of the Communist party.

“To not recognise the supreme status of the constitution in the SAR and to not respect the Chinese Communist Party’s leadership status, is to forget how the Hong Kong SAR came about. In actual fact this is denying the constitutional foundation of one country two systems,” the official said.

Luo said Hong Kong should strengthen education about the constitution and the Basic Law and boost people’s patriotism.

He said he believes under the regulation of the constitution and the Basic Law and the implementation of the principle of “patriots ruling Hong Kong”, the city will be able to achieve good governance and have a better future.