SAR Govt holds 2023 Constitution Day Seminar

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR yesterday (Dec. 4) jointly held a seminar on Constitution Day, with the Endeavour Education Centre as the supporting organization, with a view to enhancing public understanding of the constitutional basis and order of the country and Hong Kong.

More than 600 participants from various sectors of the community attended the Seminar themed "The Constitution and Chinese Modernisation" to actively explore in building a great China and advancing Chinese modernization, how Hong Kong can contribute to the country and dovetail with the national strategies for better integration into the overall national development. The Seminar comprised of two parts: a keynote speech and a panel discussion. The keynote speech was delivered by Professor Zhang Xiang from the Peking University Law School. The panel discussion was moderated by the Chairman of the Management Committee of the Endeavour Education Centre, Mrs Rita Fan, who hosted a discussion with Member of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) and Member of the Legislative Council, Professor Priscilla Leung; HKSAR Deputy to the NPC, Mr Nicholas Chan; and Professor Zhang, on the important role of the Constitution in promoting Chinese modernization, Hong Kong's participation in the national rejuvenation and the country's modernization.

Speaking at the Seminar, the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said that the Chinese path to modernization should be safeguarded by the Constitution. Similarly, the HKSAR's path of "one country, two systems", which is a pioneering path in history, must also be safeguarded by the Constitution and the Basic Law. The Central Authorities' overall jurisdiction is the source of the HKSAR's high degree of autonomy. The former and latter are in a relationship of "source" and "stream". Safeguarding and implementing the Central Authorities' overall jurisdiction is also fundamentally safeguarding the HKSAR's high degree of autonomy. Mr Lee stated that, in order to safeguard the jurisdiction, the firm implementation of the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" is a must. He appealed to the public again to cast their votes so as to support the first major territory-wide election organised by the HKSAR Government after improving the district governance system and reforming the District Councils.

In his speech delivered at the Seminar, the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, Mr Zheng Yanxiong, mentioned that Hong Kong has been re-integrated into the national governance system since the day of its return, the Central Government exercises jurisdiction over Hong Kong in accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Law, which has not only maintained the capitalist system, way of life and legal environment that Hong Kong people are accustomed to, but has also inspired them to participate in the Mainland's reform and opening up and modernization, and to integrate into the overall development of the country, thereby creating prosperity and a bright future for Hong Kong. The implementation of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong has always been one of the most unique and beautiful scenery in the country's modernization process.

Professor Zhang pointed out in his keynote speech that the contemporary Constitution provides various methods and channels for national governance and ascertains the main responsibility of the Constitution in many dimensions in national governance. With the utilization of methods and measures of the Constitution and the fully implementation of the Constitution, the system of national governance can accomplish modernization in full extent and the governance ability can be enhanced substantively. The full implementation of the Constitution is the most fundamental and important act to enhance the governance ability and modernize the system of national governance.

The Government has arranged the government website as well as some major television stations to broadcast live the Seminar. The full version of the Seminar will also be uploaded to the website of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (www.cmab.gov.hk/en/home/index.htm) to enable members of the public to review the Seminar. They may visit the dedicated webpage (www.cmab.gov.hk/en/issues/constitution_day.htm) for other information about Constitution Day.