Former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten and the special administrative region's opposition figures Martin Lee Chu-ming, Joshua Wong Chi-fung and Lam Wing-kee gave "testimonies" on Wednesday at a hearing of the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China in relation to the status quo of "One Country, Two Systems" on the eve of the SAR's 20th anniversary. The foursome's conclusion was that "One Country, Two Systems" had drastically degenerated, and the US must put pressure on Beijing to "safeguard Hong Kong people's political freedom".

The commission is an agency which has regularly interfered in China's domestic affairs in the name of upholding the principles of human rights and democracy. Any fair-minded person can see the commission does not have any right whatsoever to comment on the implementation of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle in Hong Kong or how democracy has progressed in the city. That is absolutely the internal affair of China.

If the US really wishes "One Country, Two Systems" well - which it doesn't (and which is none of its business anyway) - it is ironic that those the US invited to the hearing were the very people who have done serious harm to this innovative and pragmatic arrangement.

Patten, while serving as the last governor of Hong Kong, breached the previous agreements between Beijing and London and introduced a series of "reforms" that consequently disrupted the smooth political transition to the first SAR government. Lee led the opposition camp into a staunch anti-mainland stance and kept inviting foreign intervention in our internal affairs. Wong has tried to stir up the young generation against Beijing and has apparently become "Martin Lee 2.0" with the support of foreign forces pulling strings behind the scenes. Lam overstepped the fine line between the "Two Systems" by selling illegal books into the mainland.

These people represent the forces in Hong Kong and beyond that want "One Country, Two Systems" to fail.

To their disappointment and contrary to their allegations, "One Country, Two Systems" has been doing just great. Under the protection of this arrangement and the Basic Law, the city has been able to preserve its social and economic fabric and original way of life in the past two decades. Hong Kong people have enjoyed unparalleled levels of freedom, democracy and human rights not known in colonial days.

The practice of "One Country, Two Systems" in Hong Kong is certainly not perfect but there are myriads of channels and platforms - official and unofficial - through which suggestions for improvement could be heard here. Bad-mouthing the SAR and central governments in front of foreign audiences with an unfriendly agenda will do only harm and no good to us. Inviting foreign forces to intervene is just ridiculous.

(HK Edition 05/05/2017 page1)