After the State Council Information Office released a white paper titled “Hong Kong: Safeguarding National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems” yesterday morning, Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai said in a statement yesterday afternoon that the white paper has provided the direction for the MSAR to further advance the safeguarding of national security.
Sam pledged that the MSAR government will continue to implement the central authorities’ holistic approach to national security, steadily advance the improvements in Macau’s institutional systems and mechanisms for safeguarding national security, and improve the respective laws and regulations in a timely manner, with the aim of ensuring Macau’s long-term prosperity and stability and more strongly protecting the high-quality development of the “One Country, Two Systems” cause.
The white paper, Sam noted, concludes that Hong Kong’s practice of safeguarding national security is, in essence, the practice of upholding and advancing the “One Country, Two Systems” cause, the practice of protecting the basic human rights, dignity, and well-being of Hong Kong’s 7.5 million residents, and the practice of promoting world peace and development. The chief executive said that all these demonstrate the central authorities’ determination to unswervingly implement the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, and highlights the country’s firm support for the development of Hong Kong and Macau and its earnest expectations for good governance in the two special administrative regions.
According to the statement, which was released by the Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS), Sam noted the fine tradition of patriotism and love for Macau in the city’s civil society. Since its return to the motherland 26 years ago, Sam said, the MSAR government has comprehensively and accurately implemented the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, remained steadfast in safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty, security, and development interests, and resolutely safeguarded the bottom line that Macau must not descend into chaos.
The local government has ensured the strict implementation of the central authorities’ overall jurisdiction over the MSAR while also ensuring that the “patriots governing Macau” foundation remains rock-solid, Sam said.
Sam said that facts have proven that it is precisely because of the institutional guarantee of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle and the nation’s strong backing that Macau has become an exemplary case of the successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, where social stability and economic prosperity have been maintained.
According to the statement, Sam noted that the white paper comprehensively reviews the experience and insights gained from Hong Kong’s safeguarding of national security under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, and concludes that safeguarding national security is a long-term and enduring task with no completion date.
Sam noted that Macau enacted its Law on Safeguarding National Security as early as 2009 in accordance with Article 23 of the MSAR Basic Law, prohibiting acts such as treason, secession, and subversion against the Central People’s Government. With the aim of implementing the requirements outlined by the central authorities’ holistic approach to national security and more effectively responding to the nation’s latest internal and external security situation, the MSAR revised and improved its Law on Safeguarding National Security in 2023, after which Macau further improved its legal system for safeguarding national security by enacting several other laws, including the Law on the Protection of State Secrets, the Chief Executive Election Law, and the Legislative Assembly Election Law.
Looking ahead, Sam said, under the resolute and effective implementation of President Xi Jinping’s clear requirements and important instructions, Macau will continue to improve its legal system for safeguarding national security, fully implement the “patriots governing Macau” principle, and consolidate the foundation of patriotism and love for Macau, with the aim of ensuring Macau’s prosperity and the well-being of its residents and making greater contributions to the steady and sustained implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle.
