CPC, Chinese govt determined, sincere in advancing democracy in Hong Kong: white paper

BEIJING -- The determination, sincerity, and efforts of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government in developing Hong Kong's democratic system have remained consistent and are obvious to any objective observer, said a white paper issued by China's State Council Information Office on Monday.

After resuming the exercise of sovereignty, the Chinese government implemented the basic policy of "one country, two systems" and established democracy in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and has since provided constant support to the region in developing its democratic system, according to the white paper titled "Hong Kong: Democratic Progress Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems."

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, has emphasized on many occasions the importance of upholding the "one country, two systems" policy in the new era.

Xi has pointed out that in developing democracy in Hong Kong, we must abide by the principle of "one country, two systems" and the Basic Law and act in an orderly manner, in line with local realities and in accordance with the law, the white paper said.

To put an end to the political turmoil of recent years and the serious damage it has caused in Hong Kong, the CPC and the central government have taken a series of major decisions, based on a clear understanding of the situation in the region, the white paper said.

The measures address both the symptoms and root causes of the unrest, and have restored order to Hong Kong, returning the democratic process to a sound footing, it added.

The white paper said the central government will continue to implement the principle of "one country, two systems" fully and faithfully, and it will support Hong Kong in developing a democratic system that conforms to the region's constitutional status and actual conditions.

Developing and improving democracy in Hong Kong is of profound importance in safeguarding the democratic rights of the people, realizing good governance, and ensuring long-term prosperity, stability and security, it said.