From stability to prosperity, Hong Kong remains unstoppable

It's the same old ruse once again. As the election of the sixth-term chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was held on Sunday, Western politicians and the media sniffed out yet another opportunity to attack Hong Kong's new electoral system under the cloak of "democracy" and "political pluralism."

But be it slander or smear, the attack against the election crumbles in the face of facts. The success of this election has fully demonstrated the advantages of the new electoral system. It once again proved that this system aligns perfectly with the "one country, two systems" principle and is suited to Hong Kong's realities.

The election, held in accordance with laws and regulations in a fair, equitable and orderly manner and with more balanced participation by all sectors of society, is a new, successful practice in developing democracy with Hong Kong characteristics. John Lee's win on his election as the chief executive designate by an overwhelming vote represents the will of Hong Kong residents, who long for peace and stability after enduring years of turmoil and internal friction.

The Western media's deliberate distortion of Lee also failed to hold up. When they pounced upon his decades-long career in the Hong Kong police force, the media overlooked all the elected officials in their own countries with a police background. Their double standards and sinister intention could not be more evident.

For example, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a 22-year New York Police Department veteran, won the mayoral race partly because New Yorkers hoped his experience as a police officer could help the city with a high crime rate retain public order. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor served as chief of police of the Tampa Police Department from 2009 to 2015. After serving as Philadelphia police commissioner, the late Frank Rizzo became mayor of Philadelphia in 1972. In France, Lyon Mayor Gerard Collomb was once the country's interior minister.

Anyone with a discerning eye can easily see that the West continued to play the "Hong Kong card" again in a vain attempt to contain China's development. Over the years, a cadre of politicians from Washington and their Western allies have fabricated several falsehoods, utilizing Hong Kong to interfere in China's internal affairs.

With absolutely no concern for Hong Kong's democracy, these ill-intentioned politicians have concocted bills regarding Hong Kong to smear China and its policy towards the city. They have imposed sanctions to obstruct the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong and the relevant decisions of China's national legislature, unleashed anti-China forces in the city to stir up trouble and leaned on its allies to interfere in Hong Kong affairs.

For these self-serving politicians, a chaotic Hong Kong is what they crave, and a flourishing Hong Kong is the last thing they wish to see.

Fortunately, sober minds across the world have long recognized such political hypocrisy and the malignancy of violently interfering in the internal affairs of other countries under various pretexts.

The chief executive election, together with the Election Committee elections last September and the election of the seventh-term Legislative Council last December, has laid a solid foundation for implementing the Chinese central government's overall jurisdiction over Hong Kong.

These elections will uphold the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong," ensuring the steady development of the practice of "one country, two systems" and maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. There isn't anything that Western countries can do to dampen Hong Kong's bright future.

No matter what schemes it concocts over Hong Kong, the West must realize that it can neither stop Hong Kong's democratic development and its transition from stability to prosperity nor impede the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.