"Four Nos" is a condensed summary of the practice of "one country two systems" i

Meeting Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying who was on his duty visit to Beijing last week, President Xi Jinping stressed on "Four Nos", arousing attention and discussion in Hong Kong society.　　

In fact, "Four Nos" is not only the most important message brought back by Leung Chun-ying from his duty visit to Beijing, but will also be the Central Government's guideline and criteria for appraise the SAR Government's works.　　"Four Nos" is not a general summarisation, nor does it come from thin air.　　Rather it is a condensed summary by the Central Government of the practice of "one country two systems" in past 18 years since Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty, which is somewhat different from previous appraisals and interpretations by the Central Government of the practice of "one country two systems".　　As such its importance is beyond doubt.　　Hong Kong society must ponder deeply upon it.

On the "Four Nos", President Xi Jinping specifically said: "New situations have arisen in the practice of 'one country two systems' in Hong Kong in recent years.　　I want to stress on the Central Government's two adherences in implementing 'one country two systems'.　　One is unswerving: there will be no change and no wavering.　　The other is comprehensiveness and accuracy: to ensure that there is no deformation and distortion so that the implementation of 'one country two systems' in Hong Kong can always advance in the correct direction."

The first adherence stressed by President Xi here, that the implementation of "once country two systems" is unswerving and there will be no change and no wavering, obviously is declared primarily to Hong Kong society and even the whole world from the standpoint of the Central Government.　　Obviously the central authority is fully aware of the situation in the SAR.　　In the past year, haven't the opposition and trouble-making Apple Daily and even some foreign media outlets been spreading the word that the "one country two systems" principle is "changed", "wavered" or "tightened up"?　　Some Hongkongers and foreigners do not know whether to believe it or not.　　Therefore, President Xi in the first place stresses on the "Two Nos", namely No Change and No Wavering, so that those who fabricate rumours to mislead people would "shut up" sooner.

Compared with the former "Two Nos" which is pronounced from the perspective of the Central Government, the latter "Two Nos" sets specific criteria and concrete requirements for the SAR Government: "one country two systems" must be implemented in the SAR comprehensively and accurately.　　Comprehensiveness means "one country two systems" is a holistic entirety that cannot be cut apart: one cannot just talk about "two systems" and ignore "one country".　　Accuracy means in "one country two systems" there is a difference between the major and the minor and between the principal and the subordinate, which must not be reversed and confused.　　As long as Hong Kong society is able to comprehensively and accurately implement the "one country two systems" principle, there will be no change and no wavering in the central authority's carrying out this principle.　　However, if the implementation of the "one country two systems" in Hong Kong becomes deformed or distorted, then asking for the Central Government to carry out this principle without change and without wavering would be not only impractical but also like crying for the moon or having a foolish dream.

Once Hong Kong society's implementation of the "one country two systems" principle becomes deformed and distorted to wantonly trample underfoot, violate and attempt to overthrow "one country two systems", such as going so far as to want to overthrow the August 31 Decision made by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) following the Basic Law for the 2017 CE election by universal suffrage, going so far as to demand the Central Government to "give back my right for universal suffrage", going so far as to wave the British-Hong Kong's dragon-ion flag publically in an attempt to cut a wide swath, going so far as to advocate "Hong Kong's future to be decided by Hong Kong people" and shouting "Chinese roll back", and then it still wants "no change" and "no wavering" from the Central Government, does it really regard the Central Government as a fool that can be easily bullied?

No doubt, the Central Government is really sincere in and fully committed to putting into practice the "one country two systems" principle in Hong Kong.　　Numerous facts since the handover have fully proven this.　　From principal matters such as Hong Kong society's core values including the freedom of speech, the right for demonstration and assembly, to trivial things such as personal habits and customs, all have been fully protected.　　Nevertheless, the "one country two systems" principle is by no means a "rubber ball" that can be wantonly "deformed".　　It cannot be the case that Hong Kong could keep a distance from the Central Government today, and it would be better for Hong Kong to keep a longer distance from the Central Government tomorrow, and then it would be the best for the Central Government to keep its hands off giving "complete autonomy" to Hong Kong people.　　For, this is no longer "one country two systems" but just one step away from Hong Kong independence.　　Under such a circumstance, to ask the Central Government to implement "one country two systems" without change and without wavering" would simply be out of question.

29 December 2015