How national security and ‘one country, two systems’ go hand in hand

On February 10, China’s State Council Information Office released a white paper titled “Hong Kong: Safeguarding China’s National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems”. This is the third white paper issued by the Chinese central government on Hong Kong-related affairs since 2014.It reviews Hong Kong’s efforts in safeguarding national security, elaborates on the central government’s stance on Hong Kong’s role in maintaining national security and summarises the experience and insights gained under “One Country, Two Systems”.The document holds significant and far-reaching importance for clarifying misconceptions, building consensus and ensuring the high-quality development of the “One Country, Two Systems” policy with a high standard of security.First, the white paper provides a chronological overview of the struggle to safeguard national security in Hong Kong.Ensuring national security is a top priority. The struggle to safeguard national security in Hong Kong is persistent. During the transitional period prior to the return of Hong Kong, the Chinese government resolutely guaranteed the implementation of “One Country, Two Systems”.After Hong Kong’s return, the constitution and Basic Law, particularly Article 23, provided clear constitutional arrangements in safeguarding national security in the city.