HK Unrest A Challenge For China: Beijing Official

A Beijing official on Saturday said China has gone through a few major challenges in the past five years, including the pandemic and the unstable situation in Hong Kong back in 2019.

Shen Chunyao, who chairs the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, was speaking at a seminar in Hong Kong held by the SAR government to promote the spirit of the 20th Communist Party Congress.

He said the central government has restored order to the SAR by promulgating the national security law and implementing the "patriots administering Hong Kong" principle after protests rocked the city three years ago.

“A concerted effort, from the central government, the country, the SAR... as well as different sectors of society, has pushed for a major change in Hong Kong that saw chaos give way to order. It was a big challenge and test from the country’s perspective,” he said.

Shen reiterated that One Country, Two Systems is the best institutional safeguard for Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability.

As the principle is here to stay, the official said it needs to be improved constantly to keep up with the times, or it would easily lose vitality.

Shen added everyone in the country needs to unite in the struggle to realise the national rejuvenation.

Xie Fuzhan, vice-chairman of the Committee on Economic Affairs of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, also spoke at the seminar.

Xie said the rapid economic growth in China has debunked western belief that modernisation can only be achieved through capitalism, and the Chinese Communist Party will now aim at leading the country to build a great modern socialist country.