China’s State Council Information Office this week published a white paper titled “Hong Kong: Safeguarding China’s National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems.” The document underscores Beijing’s position that national security is fundamental to Hong Kong’s long-term stability and prosperity.
The white paper provides a detailed review of the One Country, Two Systems policy’s evolution, implementation, and consolidation since Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. It argues that safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests is the “highest principle” guiding the governance framework for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
According to the document, security is essential for survival and development and serves as the foundation for social stability and public well-being.
The central government emphasizes that the struggle to safeguard national security in Hong Kong is ongoing, citing interference from what it terms as “anti-China agitators” and hostile external forces attempting to undermine the One Country, Two Systems framework.
The paper highlights that while the central government holds primary responsibility for national security in Hong Kong, the HKSAR has a constitutional duty to safeguard national security at the local level. It notes that the enactment and enforcement of the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR represented a crucial step in restoring order following the 2019 unrest.
“In response to the turbulent and changing circumstances in Hong Kong, the central government has applied a holistic approach to national security…..It has enacted the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region – which has been enforced in the region – and ensured that Hong Kong is administered by patriots,” the white paper states.
It further asserts, “With support of the central government, the HKSAR fulfills its constitutional responsibility to safeguard national security by effectively preventing, halting, and punishing any activities that endanger national security in the region. Order has been restored in Hong Kong. With sound governance, the city has entered a new stage, advancing towards prosperity and showing signs of an even brighter future,”
The document revisits the history from the Opium War to the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration and the 1997 return of sovereignty. It stresses that sovereignty over Hong Kong was never negotiable and presents the One Country, Two Systems model as a strategic innovation aimed at ensuring peaceful reunification while maintaining Hong Kong’s capitalist system and way of life.
The central government asserts that under the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China and the Basic Law of the HKSAR, it maintains overall jurisdiction while respecting Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy.
The white paper guarantees that Hong Kong’s capitalist system, common law framework, and status as an international free port will remain unchanged in the long term.
It positions national security not as a constraint but as an enabler of economic vitality, arguing that with enhanced security mechanisms, Hong Kong can better expand its global presence, protect investor interests, and integrate into China’s broader modernization drive.
“With security, the One Country, Two Systems policy has been upheld and improved, fully showcasing its vitality and strength. Hong Kong continues to develop in a more vibrant and dynamic way, effectively ensuring the wellbeing of its 7.5 million residents and the interests of international investors,” the paper states.
Beijing describes the protection of national security in Hong Kong as a long-term commitment, especially in light of global geopolitical shifts and accelerating international transformations. It reiterates its full support for the HKSAR in preventing and managing major risks, reinforcing its “national security shield,” and ensuring high standards of security for sustainable development.
In the white paper, the central government emphasizes that Hong Kong’s current stability and prosperity are hard-won and must be preserved.
“The central government firmly supports the HKSAR in fully and faithfully implementing the policy of One Country, Two Systems, shouldering its constitutional responsibility for safeguarding national security, and continuously strengthening its national security shield, to ensure steady and sustained progress in the One Country, Two Systems practice with high-standard security,” it states.
It further asserts that a secure Hong Kong—free, open, and dynamic within the One Country, Two Systems framework—serves national interests, benefits its 7.5 million residents, and contributes to global economic development.
Through this publication, Beijing says it seeks to solidify consensus around the ongoing implementation of One Country, Two Systems, as both constitutionally grounded and strategically essential for Hong Kong’s future.
“As China advances its modernization drive to build itself into a great country and realize national rejuvenation, Hong Kong will definitely make new achievements and contribute more to the country,” the document asserts
