As we all know, the most important significance of Hong Kong to the country is the practice of "One Country, Two Systems", but if one day, the compatibility, creativity and advancement of "One Country, Two Systems" no longer need to be demonstrated through Hong Kong, what else can Hong Kong do? Does the country make a unique contribution?
The answer may be hard to imagine, but this is the huge challenge that lies ahead.
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council successively issued the "Overall Plan for the Construction of the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone" and the "Comprehensive Deepening of the Reform and Opening-up Plan for the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone" last week. The direct impression is that "Hengqin" may become another "Macao", but "Qianhai" will not become another "Hong Kong", but will directly become the "experimental field" of "One Country, Two Systems" in the Mainland.
Because the "Hengqin Plan" proposes a brand-new system for the governments of Guangdong and Macao to "consult, build, manage, and share", the Macau government is slightly dominant, while the "Qianhai Plan" requires the Qianhai authorities to promote cooperation under the framework of "one country, two systems". Hong Kong can only passively cooperate with the rules and mechanisms of Hong Kong, Macao and the international community. It is undeniable that these two governance models have indeed enriched the connotation of the cross-border coordinated development model. It also means the "one country, two systems" that was only implemented in Hong Kong and Macao in the past. It started to advance to the "two systems in one" that can be tested in mainland cities, but it was not led by the most experienced Hong Kong.
If you ask what the reason is, then you have to conduct a torture of the Hong Kong elite about the concept of reform and awareness of development.
The "Qianhai Plan" and the "Hengqin Plan" show that the central government is advancing the practice of "one country, two systems" in the mainland.
(:Mouse/Visual China)
For details, please read the 282th issue of "Hong Kong 01 e-Weekly" published on September 13, 2021,
"When One Country, Two Systems Advances to "Two Systems in One", torture how Hong Kong elites can catch up with the pace of reform"
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