The United Front Supporting National Security Legislation holds a press conference on Monday, saying that 2.92 million Hong Kong citizens have signed a petition in support of the proposed national security legislation. Photo: cnsphoto

June 9 marks the first anniversary of the start of the anti-extradition bill protests in Hong Kong.

Civil Human Rights Front, a radical Hong Kong organization, claimed it plans a mass rally on July 1 to protest against the passage of the national security law for Hong Kong. In fact, the turmoil that plagued Hong Kong in the past year has caused serious damage to Hong Kong. The hope that the national security legislation could bring the city out of its predicament has inspired many people. The Hong Kong situation has seen a turning point and no forces can obstruct the formulation, promulgation and implementation of the national security law. 

Has the past year brought any benefits to ordinary Hongkongers? Who can benefit if Hong Kong continues to be engulfed in turbulence? Hong Kong's pro-West separatists and activists Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and Joshua Wong Chi-fung have been hailed in the West, but who will pay the price for their personal political ambitions? It's believed more and more Hongkongers are unable to gradually figure out the calculation of interests under the chaos of the city.

There is still a period of time to go before the national security law is enacted. Activists who betray Hong Kong and the motherland must be very upset. They will try their best to incite as many citizens as possible, young students in particular, and turn them into their "shields" and stir trouble to look for opportunities for their own survival.  

We hope young Hongkongers won't be fooled and used by them again. Hong Kong is the territory of China. Any "anti-China" attempt in the city will come to a dead end.

External powers such as the US issued statements to sanction Hong Kong, but Washington is worried it may also be hurt by the sanctions. It's fair to say China is well prepared for any external intervention.  

A few extremists in Hong Kong could flee the city, and capital that flows into Hong Kong to make quick money can also have other options. But where can ordinary Hongkongers go? Where can capital rooted in Hong Kong withdraw to? The only choice for the vast majority of Hongkongers is to share the destiny with the city. 

Hong Kong's business tycoons have expressed their support of the national security legislation with a much firmer stance than they held during last year's violent protests. They have seen the Chinese central government's determination, and believe the country has sufficient ability to stabilize the situation in Hong Kong through the law. And they know that this is the foundation of Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability.

The national security law will prevent extreme forces from jeopardizing Hong Kong's order under foreign support and ensure the implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle. Those who say the law will undermine the high degree of autonomy that Hong Kong has been enjoying since 1997 are merely creating confusion and sensationalizing it. 

Beijing has made it crystal clear that the law targets only very few criminals, not the wider public. It has stressed that the more solid it holds the security bottom line, the more room the "one country, two systems" principle will have. It is believed that this will prove to be true after the law is implemented and the minds of Hongkongers stabilize.

China has sovereignty over Hong Kong. The definitions of "one country, two systems" and "a high degree of autonomy" are in the hands of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature. This is the fundamental essence of the rule of law in Hong Kong. Opposition forces as well as the US and UK governments want to give their own definitions, which is sheer defiance of the Basic Law and opposition to the fact that Hong Kong has returned to China. The country is determined to end the farce and consolidate the political and legal basis for Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability. This is the essence of the national security legislation.

Hong Kong society must keep pace with the motherland. Hongkongers should be faithful as Chinese, and be rational enough as residents of a developed society ruled by law to build this basis together with their home country. 

When the situation becomes too perplexed, it is just the right direction to follow the country and the law.