'Beijing Has Zero Tolerance For HK Independence'

A top Communist Party leader was quoted on Tuesday as saying Beijing has “zero tolerance” towards activities that endanger national security, including the advocacy of Hong Kong independence.

Local deputies to the National People’s Congress said Wang Huning – a member of the elite seven-member Standing Committee of the politburo – made the remarks during a closed door meeting with them in the Great Hall of the People on the sidelines of the annual plenary session of the National People's Congress(NPC) in Beijing.

One of the deputies, Raymond Tam, formerly the SAR's constitutional and mainland affairs secretary, said Wang did not give any details on what exactly should be done to curb such activities, but pointed out that "no one in Hong Kong should do anything that would compromise the integrity of the sovereignty, national security, and developmental benefits of the nation, and not to undermine the authority of the central authorities".

Tam said Wang also insisted One Country, Two Systems is a long term commitment of the central government and had asked deputies to help Hong Kong people come to a better understanding of the Chinese constitution and the Basic Law.

Wang was also quoted as saying that he hopes the people of Hong Kong can strengthen their love for the country, that the SAR should seek to integrate itself into the overall development strategy of the country, and that a lot of central government’s policies are linked to the SAR’s own development.

One of the deputies, Wong Yuk-shan, said the party leader also told them that concrete measures relating to the so-called Greater Bay Area development are in the pipeline and will be rolled out soon. But Wong said the leader did not give details.

Wang also praised the Chief Executive Carrie Lam for her 'proactive' leadership, and urged the wider society to support the government.