AO is the biggest anti-China party? Talk with Hong Kong expert Cao Erbao about civil servants of the SAR government

In recent years, because of the controversy over the performance of a small number of civil servants in Hong Kong in a series of incidents such as the legislative amendments, some of the establishment groups have questioned the role of Hong Kong civil servants, thinking that they, as public officials, take the lead. Violating "one country, two systems" and weakening and falsifying Beijing's policy of governing Hong Kong should be rectified.

In the first half of this year, Feng Weiguang, who served as the news coordinator of the Leung Chunying government, was once quite active. He successively wrote articles criticizing the AO (Administrative Affairs Officer) of the Hong Kong government, labeling administrative officials as the largest "anti-China" political party.

In July of this year, the Secretary for Civil Service of the Hong Kong Government, Nie Dequan, said in a radio program that about 170,000 civil servants in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have completed the oath or signed a declaration, expressing their support for the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and their allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

In Hong Kong's governance structure, a total of more than 170,000 civil servants play a pivotal role, which is directly related to the operation and stability of the Hong Kong government system.

What do you think about this huge number of groups?

What kind of attitude will Beijing have?

In this regard, "Multi-dimensional News" interviewed Mr. Cao Erbao, an adjunct professor at the Shenzhen International Graduate School of Tsinghua University, who was the head of the Research Department of the Hong Kong Central Liaison Office and a special researcher of the Counselor Office of the State Council of China.

The full text of the interview is published on the WeChat public account "A Nail on the Finger", "Hong Kong 01" is now authorized to reprint the full text as follows for reference.

The Director of the Civil Service Bureau, Nie Dequan, posted on the social networking site that today (29th) he met with 86 new administrative officers (AO) who have joined the government in the past three years.

Duowei: Teacher Cao, hello. In recent years, the civil servants in Hong Kong have suffered controversies, including Feng Weiguang’s criticism that AO is the largest "anti-China" political party. What do you think?

Is this suspected of going online?

What will Beijing think?

Cao Erbao:

Make two historical replays. One is, on the 15th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return, in July 2012, Chinese leaders who visited Hong Kong and participated in the celebration met with the heads of the three government agencies of the Special Administrative Region. The government team, in addition to the main officials, A permanent secretary (referred to as "permanent secretary") has been added.

Since then, every time the Chinese leader met with a Hong Kong government official, there was a permanent secretary as a civil servant representative.

As we all know, the vast majority of permanent secretaries belong to the "Administrative Affairs Officer" grade of civil servants, known as AO in Hong Kong.

AO has the reputation of the Hong Kong government as the "top stone".

Different from departmental grades such as the police and professional grades such as engineers, AO is one of the only two grades among more than 400 civil servants that can serve across departments and grades (similar to "rotation" in the Mainland) (the other The grade is "Executive Officer", known as "EO" in Hong Kong).

That is to say, the directors of the AO background have held at least 10 positions in different departments. Compared with officials of departments or professional grades that cannot be "rotated", they are known as "professionals" and "generalists". They are generally more familiar with the government. The overall operation.

AO used to be the only grade that could hold the highest government positions such as directors.

After the second-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region implemented the accountability system for senior officials, the secretary-generals were all "politically appointed officials" and no longer belonged to the civil service series. The government established the "permanent secretary", the highest government position that can be held by civil servants.

Since the SAR government is mainly composed of civil servants, the inclusion of permanent secretaries in the scope of interviews by Chinese state leaders reflects the central government’s affirmation and emphasis on the role of civil servants at all levels, including AO.

Second, on the eve of the return, in May 1996, Vice Premier Qian Qichen, then director of the Preparatory Committee for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the National People’s Congress of China (the "Preparatory Committee"), announced: "The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will be composed of local people in Hong Kong. Serving civil servants are familiar with the situation in Hong Kong and the operation of the government. It is impossible to find a group of people from the society to form the SAR government.” According to Deng Xiaoping’s "Hong Kong people must govern Hong Kong with patriots as the main body" and the third historical resolution of the Chinese Communist Party. "Resolutely implement the "Patriot ruling Hong Kong"" to form the civil servants of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. Does it meet the "Patriot" standard?

Deng Xiaoping made an important contribution to the CCP’s united front by expanding the political connotation of the category of "patriots": from "supporting socialism" to "supporting the unification of the motherland."

He also put forward the "patriot" standard as the main body or person who governs Hong Kong: "Respect one's own nation, sincerely support the motherland's restoration of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, and not harm Hong Kong's prosperity and stability." These conditions (referring to the three standards of "patriots"), regardless of whether they believe in capitalism, feudalism, or even slavery, are patriots." Today Beijing emphasized that "the "patriots" mainly have three standards," and Deng Xiaoping The above classics are in the same line and keep pace with the times.

Xia Baolong, vice chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, said that “combined with the various phenomena and problems that have emerged during the transitional period and since the return of Hong Kong”, the patriots “will certainly sincerely safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests; must respect and safeguard the country’s interests. The fundamental system and the constitutional order of the Special Administrative Region will inevitably make every effort to maintain the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong."

When Deng Xiaoping proposed the "Patriot" standard, he had a classic exposition on how to choose the subject or the person to govern Hong Kong according to this standard: "The central government handles this problem from the big picture, not sticking to the subsections." What is meant by "big picture". ?

That is, those who govern Hong Kong must "love the country and Hong Kong."

Deng Xiaoping said: "We don't ask them to all agree with China's socialist system, but we only ask them to love the motherland and Hong Kong." "The people in power in Hong Kong after 1997 still practice the capitalist system, but they do not do harm to the motherland. Do not do things that harm the interests of Hong Kong compatriots.” Today, the central government emphasized that “people who hold important positions, hold important powers, and shoulder important governance responsibilities should have higher requirements on patriotic standards”, and Deng Xiaoping The saying "looking at the big picture" comes down in the same line and keeps pace with the times.

This is what Xia Baolong said: "They should fully and accurately implement the "one country, two systems" policy, adhere to principles, dare to take responsibility, and at the same time have the "big country" in mind and unite sincerely."

What is a "section"?

It means that those who govern Hong Kong can have different political attitudes under the premise of a firm political stand of "love the country and love Hong Kong."

Deng Xiaoping pointed out: "To choose this kind of people, of course there must be people on the left, as few as possible, but also a bit right. It is best to choose more people in the middle. In this way, people from all walks of life will feel more comfortable." Emphasizing that "patriots governing Hong Kong" is definitely not about "all colors"," it is in the same line as Deng Xiaoping said "not limited to small sections" and keeps pace with the times.

This is what Xia Baolong puts forward: "Because some citizens have lived in a capitalist society like Hong Kong for a long time, they don’t know much about the country and the Mainland, and even have prejudices and prejudices. The central authorities understand and tolerate the attitudes of these people. , I also firmly believe that they will continue to uphold their patriotism and love Hong Kong, draw a clear line with anti-China and Hong Kong elements, and actively participate in the governance of Hong Kong."

Based on this observation, the vast majority of Hong Kong compatriots love the country and Hong Kong; among them, the patriots who govern Hong Kong or those who govern Hong Kong include all sectors of society including the patriotic and loving Hong Kong forces that have entered the Legislative Council and the District Council through elections in accordance with the law. The "establishment faction"; there are also patriotic and Hong Kong people who have been appointed as government officials, judges and other judicial personnel and senior executives of statutory institutions in accordance with the appointment procedures stipulated by the Basic Law.

In view of this, Hong Kong civil servants, including the AO grade, meet the "Patriot" standard as a whole.

In June 1990, Deng Xiaoping and Bao Yugang talked about Hong Kong issues.

(VCG)

Duowei: How do you evaluate the group of civil servants in Hong Kong?

Cao Erbao: The

Chinese central government's evaluation of the civil servants in Hong Kong is scientific and accurate, and it is also in line with reality.

This is the passage from the "Several Opinions on Maintaining the Stability of Hong Kong's Civil Service and System" issued by the Preparatory Working Committee of the Preparatory Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on December 8, 1995 (the "Preliminary Committee") before the reunification. "The Chinese government believes that 180,000 civil servants are Hong Kong’s huge wealth and a force that can be relied upon to realize "Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong" after 1997." In December 2003 after the handover, the then State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan received "Hong Kong" This point of view was reiterated during a visit to the Beijing delegation by the Association of Former Senior Civil Servants (referred to as the "Former Association of Senior Civil Servants").

"Huge wealth" and "rely on strength": This is the central government's overall evaluation of Hong Kong's civil servants.

I would like to remind you: when the central government made this evaluation of Hong Kong civil servants before the return of Hong Kong, this group was still under the rule of the British Hong Kong government, and all they implemented were the laws of the British Hong Kong government or the instructions of the British Hong Kong government; after the return, the central government reiterated this evaluation. This group has been operating in accordance with the law in the government of the special administrative region directly under the central government of our country. It implements the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Hong Kong laws approved by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress as the laws of the SAR, as well as those issued by the chief executive elected in Hong Kong and appointed by the central government. instruction.

The overall evaluation has not changed!

Therefore, the above-mentioned documents of the PWC have two important policy viewpoints. We may revisit them today. It may be helpful or enlightening for us to observe and evaluate the group of civil servants in Hong Kong.

One is that civil servants are "a force that "Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong" can rely on."

The overall evaluation of the central government is based on the aforementioned political judgment: this Hong Kong governance team, including the AO grade, meets the standards of "Patriots" as a whole.

This involves some departments or individual high-ranking officials (including AO) in the Hong Kong civil servants group before the reunification, who did something that harmed the interests of Hong Kong and the country under the British rule of Hong Kong, publicly said some wrong things or performed extreme behaviors. How to see and what to do?

First of all, it must be noted that the above-mentioned words and deeds of some departments or individual high-ranking officials in the civil service group before the return of Hong Kong, as stated in the PWC document: The British government’s instructions perform official duties, so there is no need for civil servants to bear the relevant political responsibilities."

Secondly, after all, this group is the governing body or governor of the future Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. According to the standards of patriots, their political allegiance must be resolved in accordance with the law.

The PWC document announced: “Any former civil servant who has sworn allegiance to the British Royal Family (such as a police officer) when taking office shall make appropriate arrangements to swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China.” In accordance with Article 104 of the Hong Kong Basic Law (also known as “ The oath clause”), all Hong Kong people, including civil servants, must swear to uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China and be loyal to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China when they take office as principal officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

When the Hong Kong Basic Law refers to this law and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, only the full name is used in the oath clause, that is, the "People's Republic of China" is added in front of it. The original intention of the legislation is: love of the country and love of Hong Kong are consistent.

In July this year, all 170,000 civil servants in Hong Kong made the same oath.

The second is that Hong Kong civil servants maintain the principle of "political neutrality", which aims to restrict this group from participating in politics, not without a political stand.

The PWC document pointed out: "Maintaining political neutrality is a long-term principle that Hong Kong civil servants have complied with. It is also a basic principle of the Hong Kong civil service system. After 1997, the principle of maintaining political neutrality for civil servants should remain unchanged. To this end, Civil servants’ participation in politics should be restricted.” This is clear: this principle requires civil servants to remain neutral, which means “participating in politics” means participating in political activities, and not referring to political positions.

This is clear from the former British Hong Kong Government’s "Civil Service Regulations", which clearly stated that it should be "retained", which stipulated the following requirements for "civil servants participating in political activities": Or administrative-related remarks, civil servants shall not engage in paid or unpaid outside work without the approval of relevant supervisors, civil servants shall not convene or participate in public gatherings to discuss any government measures, shall not distribute political publications, shall not sign or invite people Sign public petitions related to government measures or programs, etc. In addition, civil servants are not allowed to participate in other activities that are incompatible with the principle of maintaining political neutrality."

Today, among the group of civil servants in Hong Kong, including the AO, some people do not accept or violate the political reality that the Hong Kong SAR is directly under the central government or that China has resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong. There are some public words and deeds that harm the interests of Hong Kong and the country, and some even More extreme, even participated in "activities that are inconsistent with the principle of maintaining political neutrality."

It is necessary and correct for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to deal with this issue in accordance with the "Civil Service Regulations" that restricts civil servants from participating in politics.

As the Director of the Civil Service Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Nie Dequan said: "Political neutrality of civil servants does not mean that they have no political stance", but "doing their best to implement government policies." "Civil servants must be politically neutral and perform their duties to the Chief Executive and the SAR government." , Cannot accept or tolerate civil servants blatantly rebelling against the government and breaking the law.” Since the return of Hong Kong, the central government and the chief executive appointed by the central government have not dealt with the group of civil servants, including the AO, during the formation of each term of the SAR government. "Settle after Autumn."

I believe that the new government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region that will be established next year: the same.

The government also launched open recruitment and internal recruitment procedures for civil servants.

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Multidimensional: Many civil servants in Hong Kong, especially middle and high-level officials, came under the British colonial rule of Hong Kong and lived and worked under the capitalist system for a long time after the return. How to help them fulfill the oath of inauguration and guide them to correctly understand and master Beijing's relationship with Hong Kong Policies and the Hong Kong Basic Law embodying the spirit of "One Country, Two Systems"?

Cao Erbao: I

remember that in May 2013, when the Hong Kong government entrusted mainland universities to undertake the 20th anniversary of the National Affairs Research Course ("Entrusted Training"), Beijing held a commemorative meeting at Tsinghua University. At that time, State Councilor Yang Jiechi (currently a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee) Attend and speak.

He fully affirmed the achievements of Hong Kong and Macao civil servant training in the past 20 years. "I hope that future training will further increase the learning of the "One Country, Two Systems" policy, the Basic Law and national development strategies, so as to improve the comprehensive and accurate understanding and implementation of the "One Country, Two Systems" by Hong Kong and Macao civil servants. The principles and basic law capabilities allow Hong Kong and Macao civil servants to have a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the overall situation of the country, grasp the general trend of future development, and make positive contributions to the successful practice of "One Country, Two Systems"."

Those who are familiar with the process of Hong Kong's return will know that the Hong Kong government's "commissioned training" was initiated by the "Beijing Course" of Tsinghua University and was once famous.

This is because whether the Hong Kong government can be transferred smoothly depends mainly on whether the 180,000 civil servants can make the transition smoothly. The "Beijing Course" signifies that the Chinese government has started this work.

In fact, as early as 1991, the Hong Kong Branch of Xinhua News Agency (the predecessor of the Hong Kong Liaison Office) and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council had closely negotiated with the Hong Kong Government’s Department of Civil Service (the predecessor of the Civil Service Bureau) to prepare for the "Beijing Course"; in October 1992, the Chinese government approved "Beijing Course"; in July 1993, the "Beijing Course" was opened at Tsinghua University.

Since the return of Hong Kong, the SAR government’s "entrusted training" has been larger and more frequent, gradually covering all grades of civil servants; the number of mainland universities that undertake training has increased to more than a dozen, and national civil servant training institutions have also joined them.

This fully demonstrates that "entrusted training" is an effective platform for strengthening political guidance for Hong Kong civil servants, a governing team that exercises the power of "Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong" in accordance with the authorization of the central government.

Speaking of "strengthening political guidance", I will make two more historical replays: First, in September 2010, the target of entrusted training was expanded to permanent secretaries in the National School of Administration for the first time. Hong Kong and Macau policy.

I remember Qiao Xiaoyang, director of the Hong Kong Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress at the time. The full text of the lecture was published on the SAR government’s "Directorate Civil Servant" intranet after class. It put forward the view that "the central government has full governance over Hong Kong." .

The second is that in 2013, the Research Department of the Liaison Office of the Hong Kong Central Committee and Tsinghua University jointly organized a seminar for senior executives of Hong Kong statutory institutions for the first time, and the curriculum was mainly based on national policies.

Commissioned training is an effective platform for "strengthening political guidance." Previously, the study of national conditions was the main subject, because before the reunification, Hong Kong civil servants had no or few official contacts with the central government and the mainland. Commissioned training was their main channel to understand the national conditions; and after the reunification The official exchanges between the two places are expanding rapidly. The SAR government and various statutory agencies (about 160,000 public officials each) have more and more ways or channels to understand the national conditions. It is necessary to assist these two governing groups to take national policy as the main subject. The entrusted training for them guides them to learn and master various national policies necessary for Hong Kong’s integration into the overall situation of national development, including the central government’s basic guidelines and policies for Hong Kong.

I also want to give a warm reminder: Xinhua News Agency Hong Kong Branch has done a lot of and fruitful work for the "entrusted training" and the smooth transition of the civil servants in Hong Kong. In January 1993, the Hong Kong branch of Xinhua News Agency established a new department called the "Integrated Office" (referred to as the "Integrated Office"), which is mainly responsible for the smooth transition of civil servants (Hong Kong media called it the "Second Office"). In May, some retired senior civil servants from Hong Kong and Britain established the "Former Association for Higher Education" to act as a bridge between China and current civil servants. In July, Zhou Nan, the then head of the Hong Kong branch of the Xinhua News Agency, delivered a speech at the "Former Association of High-Tech Association" dinner attended by current Hong Kong and British civil servants, hoping that Hong Kong civil servants will continue to serve Hong Kong citizens after their return. Starting from this month, before each phase of the "Beijing Course" of Tsinghua University goes to Beijing, the Comprehensive Office will meet with the head of the class leader of the Hong Kong British Professional Studies Division (later renamed "Civil Service Division"); Meet the class participants. In September 1994, the former Gaoxie delegation visited Beijing and was received by Qian Qichen, then Vice Premier and Director of the Preliminary Committee. In December, all the former council members joined the "Civil Service Research Group" established by the PWC Political Affairs Group to participate in the drafting of the above-mentioned documents of the PWC. In 1995, the Hong Kong Bauhinia Magazine published an article signed "Zongwen" (the pseudonym of the Comprehensive Office): "A Major Policy for the Smooth Transition of Civil Servants in Hong Kong". From November 30th to May 3rd, 1996 and October 10th to December 19th, 1996, Xinhua News Agency Hong Kong Branch, together with the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the Chinese Representative Office of the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group and other Chinese government officials, worked with Hong Kong civil servants Two rounds of 23 "informal gatherings" were held in Hong Kong, attended by more than 300 senior civil servants above the Deputy Director of Hong Kong and British Directors. Hong Kong media said that this is the central government's "selection" of future principal officials of the Special Administrative Region, because the Basic Law stipulates that principal officials are nominated by the chief executive and appointed by the central government.

When it comes to the smooth transition of civil servants in Hong Kong, two former civil servant friends have contributed a lot.

One is Wang Yingwei, former AO.

As early as during the drafting of the Basic Law, as the only representative of the Hong Kong Government on the Basic Law Advisory Committee composed of all Hong Kong people, he often organized AO to discuss the draft Basic Law; after resigning from the Hong Kong Government in 1992, he introduced the current civil servants of Hong Kong to meet with us informally. Interpretation of government operations and reflection of opinions and suggestions; In 1993, he participated in the preparations for the establishment of the "Former Association of High-level Associations" and served as a council member; since 1994, he has served as a pre-committee, preparatory committee, and Hong Kong affairs consultant. He is the chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and the Film Development Council.

The other is Chen Naiqiang, the former Hong Kong-British Public Works Department, and the first and founding chairman of the "former Association of High-level Associations". He has hosted many former High-level Association activities and invited Chinese officials in Hong Kong and current high-ranking officials from Hong Kong and Hong Kong. Visited Beijing; used to be a preparatory committee, pre-committee, and Hong Kong affairs consultant.

Unfortunately, he died young after the reunification. We miss him very much. The country and Hong Kong will never forget him.

In addition, the central government agency in Hong Kong was the first to participate in the preparation and promotion of entrusted training by the Hong Kong government and statutory organizations, and has experience in smooth transition of civil servants. Because of its permanent residence in the Special Administrative Region, it is convenient to contact the two governing groups in Hong Kong and can play a far-reaching role. A difficult role for Beijing’s central authorities.

It is recommended that the Liaison Office of the Hong Kong Central Committee set up a department similar to the pre-reunification "comprehensive office" to assist the SAR government and statutory agencies, contact mainland universities and national civil servant training institutions that undertake entrusted training, and guide the entrusted training of these two groups to shift to national policy education. Study and study various national policies such as "One Country, Two Systems".

(Feng Weiguang mentioned above has signed up to participate in the election of the 7th Legislative Council Election Committee. For the list of other candidates, please refer to the