What is China's unique "One country, two systems" policy? All the facts explained here!

As per Xi Jinping, the Chinese President, the "one country, two systems" policy is found to be the best institutional mechanism for Macau and Hong Kong. The president also affirms that the policy ought to be followed in the long run as well.

Chinese president, Xi Jinping expressed on Sunday, October 16, at the opening session of the 20th Congress of the Communist Party in China, that Hong Kong and Macau will experience being administered by patriots, and will enjoy great autonomy, with the "one country, two systems".

“China implements the principles of ‘one country, two systems, ‘Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong, ‘Macau people administering Macau’,” said the president at the Communist Party congress. Attended by approximately 2,300 delegates, the opening session of the 20th Congress of the Communist party was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Additionally, Xi Jinping also stated that the country should support Hong Kong and Macau, the regions of special administration, and said “(We must) implement the principles of ‘one country, two systems, ‘Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong, ‘Macau people administering Macau’,”

China's attention in these two regions must be on encouraging stability as well as long-term prosperity. 

The "one country, two systems"- EXPLAINED

China makes use of the constitutional principle of "one country, two systems", for the purpose of governing the special administrative regions of Macau and Hong Kong. 

As per the constitutional principle of "one country, two systems", the former colonies, Hong Kong and Macau will be permitted to hold independent political and economic systems from that of the Chinese mainland, while still being a part of China.

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The history of the "one country, two systems" policy

The policy was first proposed by Deng Xiaoping, the former paramount leader of the People's Republic of China (PRC), in the late 1970s. This was after the leader took the reigns of China.

Deng intended to unify China and Taiwan, while promising great autonomy to Taiwan, under the umbrella of the "one country two systems" policy.

Deng's plan to unify Taiwan and China

According to the one country, two systems plan proposed by Deng Xiaoping to unify Taiwan and China, Taiwan was allowed to follow its capitalist economic system. It was also allowed to have its separate army and administration while continuing to be under the sovereignty of China.

Did Taiwan accept the offer by the Communist Party then? 

No. Taiwan clearly rejected Deng's proposal. Today, the island of Taiwan claims to be a separate entity from the Chinese mainland.

It was when China began negotiating the return of Macau and Hong Kong from Portugal and Britain respectively, that the policy of one country; two systems, resurfaced.

Macau was governed by the Portuguese since 1557. It then began to withdraw troops in the 1970s.

Hong Kong, on the other hand, was under the control of the British since 1842 post the First Opium War.

In the year 1898, the Chinese Qing dynasty and the British government agreed to the Second Convention of Peking agreement. The agreement allowed Britain to govern the islands surrounding Hong Kong on lease for over 99 long years. 

It was agreed that once the lease was to expire in the year 1997 the control of Hong Kong would be given back to China.

Deng Xiaoping commenced talks with Portugal and the British in the 1980s regarding the transfer of the two territories.

China then agreed that the country would honor and respect the region's autonomy under the policy of one country, two systems.

Two important agreements for Hong Kong and Macau

For the purpose of the transfer of the two regions, two crucial agreements were linked with Britain and Portugal.

The Sino-British Joint Declaration in Beijing was signed by China on December 19, 1984. In this agreement, China agreed to the terms for autonomy and the governmental, economic, and legal systems for Hong Kong post-1997.

On similar terms, an agreement was also signed with respect to Macau, with Portugal by China on March 26, 1987.

Hong Kong came back to Chinese control on July 1, 1997. Macau returned to Chinese control on December 20, 1999.

China established both Hong Kong and Macau as Special Administrative Regions under which they were permitted to hold their own currencies along with independent legal and economic systems.

However, diplomacy and defense stayed under China.

The mini Constitutions followed by the two regions will remain active for 50 years.

For Macau, the mini-constitution will be valid till 2049, and for Hong Kong, its mini-constitution will stay in place till 2047.

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