The epidemic in Hong Kong is severe, and the medical system collapses.
On Wednesday (16th), President Xi Jinping conveyed his "high concern" about the epidemic in Hong Kong, and directly instructed to achieve "three everything" and "two guarantees".
Wang Hesheng, deputy director of the National Health and Medical Commission, who once guided Wuhan's anti-epidemic, has been assigned to Shenzhen to organize and coordinate the rescue of mainland medical resources to Hong Kong. He also arrived in Hong Kong the next day.
The state's full support for Hong Kong's fight against the epidemic will inject new impetus into the anti-epidemic work, and it also reflects the flexible application of "one country, two systems".
We must understand that "one country, two systems" does not mean that the mainland and Hong Kong have nothing to do with each other, nor does it mean that the central government will sit by and watch the epidemic in Hong Kong get out of control without helping.
"One country, two systems" is a flexible system that benefits Hong Kong and the country as long as it is properly used.
Wang Hesheng, deputy director of the National Health and Medical Commission, met with members of the expert group going to Hong Kong.
(Shenzhen Satellite TV Deepview News WeChat Official Account)
"One country" is not just a matter of sovereignty
For a period of time after the handover, some people in Hong Kong and the mainland also believed that "one country, two systems" was equivalent to "a river does not run into a well." As a result, it even turned into a situation of separation between Hong Kong and the mainland. This is not a good thing, and it will not be "one country, two systems". the original intention.
Even worse, in the early years, "Hong Kong independence" became a topic of widespread discussion.
In recent years, the central government has repeatedly reiterated that the premise of "two systems" is "one country", and the bottom line that Hong Kong is part of China must be adhered to.
Many people think that emphasizing "one country" only emphasizes China's sovereignty over Hong Kong. In fact, "one country" also represents the integration of interests between Hong Kong and the mainland.
To put it simply, the interests of Hong Kong are also the interests of the mainland. Hong Kong's inability to fight the chaos of the epidemic is also the trouble faced by the country.
Hong Kong and the mainland have close relations and frequent exchanges, and there is no possibility of each other being alone.
Just like when the epidemic first broke out in Wuhan in early 2020, medical teams from many provinces across the country assisted Hubei.
Since we are all in the same country, we can't just sweep the snow in front of our own door, and don't care about others' snow.
By the same token, the country is now fully supporting Hong Kong in fighting the epidemic, which also reflects the positive side of "One Country, Two Systems".
Actively explore "one country, two systems"
Only two months ago, Hong Kong and mainland officials were still preparing for customs clearance, and they thought it was imminent.
No one seemed to expect a wave of this magnitude in Hong Kong, with the number of confirmed cases rising sharply within a few weeks.
It is worth reflecting on, in addition to discussing customs clearance arrangements, have Hong Kong and the Mainland ever thought about how to jointly deal with the outbreak of the epidemic?
The mainland's measures may be difficult to copy in Hong Kong, but the experience of strengthening tracking, increasing testing, and expanding vaccinations will not be without reference.
However, when the fifth wave of the epidemic broke out in Hong Kong and the epidemic was gradually getting out of control, the Hong Kong government repeatedly reiterated that it had tried its best to fight the epidemic, and admitted that its capacity and resources were limited.
Maybe our officials are accustomed to fighting alone, and ignore how much support the mainland government can provide.
In the end, the central government took the initiative to take the initiative, and outsiders seem to wonder if they just can't see it anymore.
In his instructions, Xi Jinping mentioned that Hong Kong should shoulder the "main responsibility" of fighting the epidemic. He did not mean that Hong Kong should not seek help from the mainland, but hoped that government officials should be responsible for the anti-epidemic work, and should not wait for the central government's instructions before "delaying one step." , take one step.” If you really want assistance from the mainland, you should also take the initiative to ask the central government.
The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Republic of China, as the central agencies responsible for Hong Kong and Macau affairs, can of course also play an active role, including liaising with Guangdong Province and Shenzhen City, so that Hong Kong can better coordinate with them.
Now is the time to actively use the flexibility of "one country, two systems" in the fight against the epidemic.
More importantly, the active "one country, two systems" is not only reflected in the epidemic situation. The land and Hong Kong must truly go both ways, so as to achieve mutual benefits and maintain their own institutional characteristics.
The development of the Greater Bay Area has become a politically correct slogan in recent years, but how to actively utilize the framework of "one country, two systems" seems to be worthy of better consideration by officials.
Sun Chunlan "didn't come", Xi Jinping "come"!
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｜In order to understand the White Paper on "One Country, Two Systems" and implement "One Country, Two Systems", the Hong Kong Government and the society must first understand the flexible space