Legal experts: Talks, not violence, solution to HK impasse

The maintenance of Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability and the safeguarding of China’s interests as a nation are closely linked with each other: they are interdependent and inseparable. China’s sovereignty, security and developmental interests inevitably require a long-term prosperous and stable Hong Kong, for a long-period politically turbulent Hong Kong, in itself, does not conform to and may even undermine the sovereignty, security and developmental interests of China. Hong Kong has its unique functions and values in particular. A prosperous and stable Hong Kong has an irreplaceable role in the modernization of China and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Hong Kong is a crucial and scarce resource with great strategic values in China’s process of realizing great rejuvenation and participating in the global governance. Hong Kong’s special functions in the nation’s long-term development strategy and in safeguarding China’s fundamental interests should be further manifested, and Hong Kong’s unique role in China’s participation in global governance, interlinkage with the Western capitalist economic system and its hedge against risks of conflicts in superpower games should be given full play so it can better serve in fulfilling China’s national strategies.

The central government supports Hong Kong in building an international creative technology center owning to the fact that Hong Kong has strong scientific research advantages in the completion of China’s national strategy on building an innovative country. Hong Kong’s ecological environment in creative technology has been continuously improved under the great support of the SAR government. Based on the advantages of the “one country, two systems” and internationalization, Hong Kong will further integrate itself into the national innovation system and explore the innovation-driven development models cooperated with other cities in the Greater Bay Area.

The violence that occurred after the proposed amendment of the extradition bill has already caused great negative impact on the region’s hard-won atmosphere and dominant trend for developing the region’s economy and improving people’s livelihoods. Hong Kong should mobilize positive forces in the society in order to stop violence, restore order, let go of political disputes and step out of the wrong path of "pan-politicization" as soon as possible. On this basis, the central government should support Hong Kong entering a period for restoration, development and integration, when Hong Kong can still focus on its economic development relying on the Greater Bay Area and by further integrating itself into it as well as the overall development of the country, which will, in return, create more conditions and wider development spaces for the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.