When asked about the alterations to Hong Kong’s electoral system made by China’s National People’s Congress, former President Ma Ying-jeou expressed regret, saying that the changes had officially consigned Deng Xiaoping’s idea of “One Country, Two Systems” to the dustbin of history and declared its death. Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang also expressed his regret over Beijing’s move. Such responses by the duo have evoked a lot of emotions.

The murder of democracy by China’s National People’s Congress is a major event that has caused serious concerns from the world’s major democracies. The G7 Foreign Ministers and the High Representative of the European Union have issued a joint statement, expressing their grave concern about it and saying that such a decision strongly indicates that the authorities in mainland China are determined to eliminate dissenting voices and opinions in Hong Kong. They also said that the string of actions by Beijing has undermined Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, is a departure from the “Basic Law” and the “Sino-British Joint Declaration” and has harmed freedom in Hong Kong. There is an endless chorus of more criticisms from other parties.

It can be expected that the issue will be an unavoidable one in the US-China meeting in Alaska this week. It will also be a matter that US President Biden, who endeavors to build a coalition of democracies against China, will be concerned about. Compared to these “outsiders,” Ma Ying-jeou’s and other insiders’ responses do not seem to be serious enough.

“One Country, Two Systems” was originally tailor-made by the CCP for the Kuomintang amid their struggles. Former President Chiang Ching-kuo rejected it, but it was adopted later in the Sino-British negotiations over Hong Kong. China promised that Hong Kong would enjoy a high degree of autonomy under the principle of “One Country, Two Systems” and Hongkongers’ way of life would remain unchanged for 50 years. That meant the horseracing and dancing would continue, and Hong Kong, the Pearl of the Orient, would not lose its luster under “One China”. Many people subscribed to the belief. There was even the expectation that the Communist China, bathed in the glow of the Pearl, would become a democratic China, meaning that it would make no difference at all whether Hong Kong would or would not remain unchanged for 50 years.

History played a cruel joke on the world and Hongkongers. Less than halfway through the 50 years, a great storm has blown up, turning the world upside down. Hong Kong has been forced to “return” to Chinese sovereignty for the second time. Originally on a path from colonial rule to democracy and autonomy, Hong Kong has now been forced to “return” to autocracy and accept the policy of “patriots ruling Hong Kong”. This “autocratic return” to China is, in fact, just part of China’s “great renaissance” aspiration that includes the entire China’s gradual return to Mao Zedong’s doctrine over the past decade or so and the building of a bastion of Eastern autocracy.

It is the resurgence of China’s totalitarian and dictatorial rule and its arrogant promotion of the “Chinese mode of governance” with “Chinese characteristics” under the perception of so-called “the rise of the East and the fall of the West” that has alerted the Western world to China’s ambitions and the threats it poses to Western fundamental values such as democracy and freedom. This has caused the West to rethink the world’s strategic order over the past few years.

After US President Biden took office, he proposed uniting allies with universal values to jointly counter China’s threats to democracy and freedom as well as its expansion. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue held between the US, Japan, India, and Australia two days ago was united by the shared value of democracy. During the dialogue, the Quad nations pledged to defend the freedom, openness, and tolerance of the Indo-Pacific region. It can be expected that a contest of values – or even a war of values - between democracy and freedom on one side and authoritarianism on the other side is already taking shape.

It is clear that, having harmed human rights in Xinjiang and murdered democracy in Hong Kong, Beijing will set its hegemonistic sights on Taiwan, a country with freedom, openness, and tolerance, as its next target.

Thirty or forty years ago, Chiang Ching-kuo, an authoritarian ruler, rejected the proposal of “One Country, Two Systems”, which was a surrender package. Thirty or forty years later, his protégés (and their own protégés) have finally realized the cruel reality that “One Country, Two Systems” is dead. However, for two decades, they have insisted on promoting the “1992 Consensus” which has “One Country, Two Systems” as its core. Now, the cruel reality makes them finally realize that “One Country, Two Systems” is dead. What is to do in the future?

By the logic of power, “One Country, Two Systems” has always been an unfeasible idea. For it implies a ruler’s top-down mercy for those who are ruled. Now the CCP has taken off its mask itself and exposed its true colors. All around the world, we have seen many examples of the suppression of democracy, freedom, and human rights. But we have also seen many moving struggles for democracy, freedom, and human rights. Today, as the West is waking up and gradually forming an alliance based on democratic values to counter the expansion of autocracy and totalitarianism, we believe that the value of freedom is here to stay, and the value of democracy is immortal.

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