HK political reform by way of Basic Law

This year is the 25th year of the mandate of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, although it went into effect only on July 1, 1997. Representing the spirit of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, the Basic Law has played a key role both in Hong Kong's return to China and in giving it a high degree of autonomy in internal affairs.

Thanks to the reform and opening-up, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the top legislature, approved the Basic Law of Hong Kong on April 4, 1990, legally confirming the political idea of "One Country, Two Systems" and strengthening national unity.

The Basic Law also shows the central government is not only determined to break the ideological restrictions to deepen reform and opening up, but also prepared to manage a region with a different political system with tolerance. It is the central leadership's faith in the socialist system that made this possible. And because of this faith, it has been reiterating that the "One Country, Two Systems" principle will not and cannot be changed. No wonder, "strictly adhering to the Basic Law" is the principle followed by every central official dealing with Hong Kong-related affairs.