(Clearwisdom.net)
Radio Free Asia reported on January 24, 2003 that the implementation of Article 23 of the Basic Law stirred up discontent among many of the people of Hong Kong. Given that the implementation of Article 23 happened only five years after Hong Kong's return to China, it is certain that it was not something the government of Hong Kong wanted. If it weren't for the repeated pressure from Beijing, the government of Hong Kong would by no means make any laws or regulations to restrain the freedom of Hong Kong and its people. Even if the government of Hong Kong originally didn't realize the serious consequences of enacting Article 23, they would have known it through the wave of opposition from Chinese all over the world, foreign democratic governments and civil groups. They should have realized that the implementation of this evil law would have dramatically damaged Honk Kong's position in the international community as the pearl of East Asia.
During the China--Britain negotiations over Hong Kong's return, Deng Xiaoping (the former Chinese leader) promised, "The capitalist system in Hong Kong will not change for 50 years." Later on, he added, " It won't change in 100 years." Indeed, before Hong Kong was returned to China, it already had a well-established system of laws that ensured the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. But in its last five years under China, Hong Kong has frequently experienced turmoil and complaints have been many. Now, rather than improving its people's living conditions, the Special Administration Region [Hong Kong SAR] wants to pass an evil law to limit the freedom of its people. This has made the situation even more chaotic.
Over sixty percent of the people in Hong Kong are against Article 23. According to the Apple Daily, "The government received over 90,000 forms opposing Article 23 filled out by 800 civil groups and more than 7,000 individuals. The total number of signatures was over 300,000. It is really rare to see such a strong reaction and so many letters of opposition." Besides the Hong Kong Catholic Church, other religious groups (such as Buddhist groups) also explicitly stated their opposition to Article 23.
Article 23 is unjust. In the 90's, when the government in Beijing modified the final version of the Basic Law, it made strict laws against the people of Hong Kong to get back at the millions of Hong Kong citizens who demonstrated in support of the 1989 Democracy Movement. Thus, Article 23 is a result of a dictator's personal whims.
According to the conventional legislation procedure in Hong Kong, before the implementation of any law, there should be a White Bill for its citizens to discuss and suggest revisions for and the consultation process should go through two rounds. It also should have an intermediate report with detailed bylaws or provide a Blue Bill twice. Now, the Special Administration Region attempts to omit the whole legislative procedure and finish the implementation in one step. It wants to make laws based on its own power. Once the implementation of Article 23 is finished, as Beijing wishes, in this year, the "One Country, Two Systems" policy is doomed.
