作者：萧平
XIAO PING
资深时事评论员。
Don't lose confidence in "one country, two systems"
以和平方式恢复行使主权，并在香港回归后总体保持平稳发展，足以证明“一国两制”是解决历史遗留的香港问题的最佳方案，也是保持香港长期繁荣稳定的最佳制度安排。平心而论，没有比“一国两制”更高明的政治智慧了！
Hong Kong has generally maintained steady development since China resumed the exercise of sovereignty peacefully over the city, more than enough to prove “one country, two systems” is the best solution to the question of Hong Kong left over from history and the best institutional arrangement for the special administrative region to sustain long-term prosperity and stability. Anyone whose heart is in the right place should agree “one country, two systems” is the fruit of brilliant political wisdom and is unmatched in serving its purpose.
“一国两制”是一项开创性的制度，需要放在历史与全局的大背景下考察。首先，要把制度与治理区分开。制度提供了社会运行的基本架构，但制度是否有效要靠治理。香港许多问题的根源，在于行政主导受到太多掣肘，社会治理失去效率。其次，要把制度与深层次矛盾区分开。房屋短缺、贫富差距等问题回归前就存在，有些是香港这一制固有的矛盾，与“一国两制”无关。事实恰恰是，因为有了“一国两制”，香港才能在国家的强力支持下，战胜亚洲金融危机、SARS等严重冲击，巩固和保持了国际金融、贸易、航运中心的地位。
"One country, two systems" is an unprecedented, groundbreaking arrangement that must be evaluated in the context of history and the overall situation. Social systems provide the basic structure for a society to operate, but how effective a system is depends on governance. The root of many problems facing Hong Kong can be traced back to constraints on the executive-led governance, which in turn have undermined the SAR's social management. Also, it is necessary to distinguish the deep-seated problems of Hong Kong society from "one country, two systems". For example, nagging issues such as the short supply of residential housing and the growing wealth gap had long existed before "one country, two systems" came into existence and can only be blamed on the capitalist system alone. The undeniable fact is that Hong Kong was able to prevail over such adversity as the Asia financial storm of 1997 and the SARS epidemic of 2003 thanks mainly to strong support by the central government and mainland compatriots in accordance with the "one country, two systems" principle. That is why Hong Kong's status as an international financial center, trade hub and shipping center has remained intact for the past 23 years.
回过头看，如果当年特区政府的“八万五”计划（每年建造85,000套住宅）能够落实，轮候上楼还会排这么久吗？如果少一些内耗，把更多的精力和资源投向经济民生，香港发展的步伐会不会快一些呢？如果没有港英“光荣撤退”制造的法律和政治激变，没有回归後外部势力的插手干预，香港会有这么多乱象吗？
In hindsight, had the SAR government been able to proceed with the previous plan to build 85,000 housing units every year, would the public housing applicants still have to wait for so many years as they do now? Had the SAR government been able to focus more on developing the economy and improving people's livelihoods, instead of having to spend so much energy and public resources on overcoming political obstructions, Hong Kong's socioeconomic development would have been much faster than it actually was over the years. Does anyone believe Hong Kong would still be suffering so much "pain" without all the political infighting and social unrest at the hands of the opposition camp on behalf of hostile foreign governments and facilitated by the politico-judicial traps laid by the British rulers before they left?
回归前香港的主流民意是保持原有制度及扩大民主。中央深刻体察，以基本法保障50年不变，并规定了循序渐进的政制发展和普选目标。只要按照基本法去做，这些目标都会实现。可是，后来出现了脱离基本法轨道争普选，令香港陷入政治争拗。近年来泛起的“本土自决”与“”，更是对国家主权的挑战。这些乱象，与“一国两制”背道而驰，只会与港人的期盼越走越远。
Mainstream popular wishes before July 1, 1997, were to maintain the existing capitalist system with more democratic incentives added to the mix going forward. The central government authorities were well aware of and understood the public sentiment back then and assured Hong Kong society that its capitalist system and way of life will be unchanged for 50 years by enshrining the promise in the Basic Law of the HKSAR, which also stipulates Hong Kong's electoral reform shall proceed steadily and orderly toward the ultimate goal of universal suffrage in both the chief executive and Legislative Council elections. Had the SAR been able to proceed according to the Basic Law all the time, it would have achieved the goals in time, but the progress was repeatedly interrupted by illegal movements with unconstitutional demands in violation of the Basic Law, plunging local society into endless political dispute and economic hardship. More recently, even separatist advocacy got more rampant, with serious damage to public interests in addition to posing a real threat to national security as well as sovereignty. Such disruptive and costly attempts run against the "one country, two systems" principle and will only push Hong Kong further away from realizing its aspirations.
温故而知新。解决香港现实问题的路径，不是“一国两制”改弦易辙，也非简单的“一人一票”，而是排除内外干扰，完善治理，包括中央和特区两个层面的治理，解决深层次矛盾，把“一国两制”的制度优势更有效地发挥出来。
We can handle the present situation better by drawing lessons from past experiences. Hong Kong cannot solve its problems by going astray from "one country, two systems" or merely by achieving universal suffrage, but by blocking foreign interference and improving governance according to law on the part of the SAR as well as the central government, so as to resolve the deep-seated problems and bring the advantages of "one country, two systems" as an institutional arrangement into full play.
当年邓小平对“一国两制”充满信心，今天我们仍然充满信心。信心来自“一国两制”符合国家和香港的整体利益和长远利益，并有巨大包容性；来自祖国发展日新月异，“两个一百年”的奋斗目标笃定实现；来自中央强调确保“一国两制”方针不会变、不动摇，确保“一国两制”实践不变形、不走样；来自有基本法定向指航，中央和港人有智慧解决遇到的新情况新问题。“一国两制”是香港最大的优势。背靠祖国，面向世界，发挥所长，融合发展，“不为一时之曲折而动摇，不因外部之干扰而迷惘”（语），香港一定能够续写“一国两制”的新篇章。
Late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping had total confidence in "one country, two systems" back in the day and so do we today. The confidence comes from knowing that the "one country, two systems" principle serves the overall interest of Hong Kong as well as of the nation in the long run and its inclusiveness; from the mind-blowing development of the country toward the "dual centennial goals"; from the assurance from the central government authorities that the "one country, two systems" principle will never change or waver and that its exercise will never lose the preset bearing or manner of progress; and from the fact that the central government and people of Hong Kong have the wisdom to solve under the guidance of the Basic Law any problem that arises every now and then. "One country, two systems" is Hong Kong’s greatest advantage. As long as Hong Kong remains firmly with the motherland while taking full advantage of its free-trade-oriented economy and integrating its own development into the overall development strategy of the nation, and as long as Hong Kong "stays on the right track in the face of distractions and disruptions caused by foreign interference" (in President Xi Jinping's words), it will no doubt continue making progress in implementing "one country, two systems" along the way.
还是开篇那句话：不忘初心，方得始终。
As I pointed out in the first article of this series: A mission is accomplishable only if we remain committed to it.
原文刊登于4月28日《中国日报香港版》
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