12. Upholding the One Country, Two Systems policy and promoting national reunification

After their return to the motherland, Hong Kong and Macao were reincorporated into the national governance system and embarked on a broad path of complementarity and common development with other parts of the country. The practice of One Country, Two Systems has been a resounding success. However, due to a variety of complicated factors both at home and abroad, anti-China activities aimed at destabilizing Hong Kong ran rampant for a period of time, posing serious challenges to Hong Kong.

The Central Committee has underscored the need to fully, firmly, and accurately implement the One Country, Two Systems policy and to uphold and improve the systems of the policy. It has taken steps to ensure law-based governance, maintain constitutional order as outlined in the Constitution and the basic laws, and enforce the central government's overall jurisdiction in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions. It has also ensured resolute implementation of the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong and Macao.

Based on its assessment of the situation, the Central Committee made the important decision to enhance the central government's exercise of overall jurisdiction over the special administrative regions in accordance with the Constitution and the basic laws of the two regions, and to improve relevant systems and mechanisms for enforcing the Constitution and the basic laws. The Central Committee has pushed for the establishment and improvement of the special administrative regions' legal systems and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security, the enactment of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the refinement of the electoral system of the HKSAR, and the implementation of the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong. The Central Committee supported the special administrative regions in improving the oath-taking system for holders of public office. In accordance with the law, the Central People's Government established the Office for Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the HKSAR established the Committee for Safeguarding National Security.

The central authorities have firmly supported the law-based efforts of the HKSAR to end violence and chaos and restore order, supported the chief executives and governments of Hong Kong and Macao in exercising law-based governance, taken resolute steps to stop and prevent interference in the affairs of the two special administrative regions by external forces, and cracked down on acts of separatism, subversion, infiltration, and sabotage.

The central authorities have fully supported better integration of Hong Kong and Macao into the country's overall development as well as high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. They have supported Hong Kong and Macao in pursuing economic development and improving people's lives, and worked to foster greater patriotism and a stronger sense of national identity among the people in Hong Kong and Macao.

These measures, which address both the symptoms and root causes of relevant issues, have helped to restore order in Hong Kong and ensure a turn for the better in the region. All this has laid a solid foundation for advancing law-based governance in Hong Kong and Macao and for securing steady and continued success of the One Country, Two Systems policy.

Resolving the Taiwan question and realizing China's complete reunification is a historic mission and an unshakable commitment of the Party. It is also a shared aspiration of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, and it is essential to realizing national rejuvenation.

The Party has approached cross-Strait relations in light of the changed circumstances of the times, enriched the theory on national reunification and policies and principles concerning Taiwan, and worked to keep cross-Strait relations on the right track.

Comrade Xi Jinping has put forward a series of important ideas and major policy propositions on Taiwan-related work, thus helping to develop the Party's overall policy for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era.

We facilitated the first meeting between the leaders of the two sides since 1949, as well as direct dialogue and communication between them. Guided by the conviction that we are all of the same family, the Party has promoted peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, unveiling a host of policies for the benefit of our compatriots in Taiwan and strengthening economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation across the Strait.

Since 2016, however, the Taiwan authorities have stepped up separatist activities aimed at "Taiwan independence," which has seriously impacted the momentum of peaceful development of cross-Strait relations. Upholding the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, we firmly oppose separatist activities seeking "Taiwan independence" and firmly oppose foreign interference. We have maintained the initiative and the ability to steer in cross-Strait relations. For realizing China's complete reunification, time and momentum are always on our side.

It has been proven through practice that with the firm leadership of the Communist Party of China, the strong support of our great motherland, and the concerted efforts of all Chinese people, including those in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan, it is certain that lasting prosperity and stability will be maintained in Hong Kong and Macao, and that China's complete reunification will become a reality.