作者：萧平
XIAO PING
资深时事评论员
“不忘初心，方得始终。”这是一个朴素的真理。香港“一国两制”遭遇种种冲突和挑战，最根本的原因是对“一国两制”的理解发生扭曲，偏离了它的初心。因此，寻根溯源，回归初心，对于今日之香港很有必要。
"A mission is accomplishable only if we remain committed to it”. This is a simple truth fully illustrated by the implementation of “one country, two systems” in Hong Kong. The ultimate reason why it has encountered so many conflicts and challenges over the years is that the understanding of “one country, two systems” has been twisted and corrupted beyond recognition. Therefore, it’s imperative for Hong Kong to recall its original intent.
历史的时针拨回到1950年。解放军吹响“解放全中国”的号角，挥师南下，风卷残云，却在深圳河畔勒住战马。以战争的方式赶走英国殖民统治者，复疆雪耻，没有人怀疑解放军的战斗力。但中共中央定下了“长期打算”的方针，香港问题暂时搁置。历史证明，这个方针是英明的。后来在新中国被西方长期封锁的年代，香港成为中国与外部联系的通道。再后来在内地改革开放的进程中，香港又成为助力国家发展的重要引擎。
Back in 1950, the People's Liberation Army had taken control of South China and was very close to accomplishing the epic mission of “liberating the whole country”, but stopped short of crossing the Shenzhen River into Hong Kong. No one was in doubt of the PLA's capability to defeat the British colonists and reclaim the city, but the central authorities decided to take it slow. In hindsight, that was no doubt a wise decision, as evidenced by the crucial role Hong Kong played throughout the formative years of the People's Republic amid ruthless attempts by Western powers to strangle the new China in its infancy. Hong Kong remained the only link between China's mainland and the outside world for decades, and became the most important source of overseas investment when the reform and opening-up drive began in the late 1970s.
事实上，中国政府解决港澳和台湾问题、实现祖国完全统一的意志从未动摇。需要考虑的不是要不要统一，而是以什么方式统一，哪种方式代价最小、能让更多的人接受。*讲得很清楚，“中国面临的实际问题就是用什么方式才能解决香港问题，用什么方式才能解决台湾问题。只能有两种方式，一种是和平方式，一种是非和平方式。”“香港继续保持繁荣，根本上取决于中国收回香港后，在中国的管辖之下，实行适合于香港的政策。”
In fact, the Chinese government is determined to achieve the complete reunification of the motherland by resolving the questions of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan in that order. It has never been a question of whether or not, but how to achieve that ultimate goal with minimum cost acceptable to most people. Deng Xiaoping put it very clearly: “The real question for China is how to solve the question of Hong Kong and Taiwan. There are only two options — by peaceful means and otherwise.” He also concluded: “Whether Hong Kong will remain prosperous under China's jurisdiction ultimately depends on policies tailor-made for Hong Kong.”
什么才是“适合于香港的政策”呢？经过深思熟虑，*开创性地提出了“一个国家、两种制度”的伟大构想，从而为中国也为国际社会解决历史遗留问题提供了一个全新而又可行的方案。这是中国对国家治理模式的大胆探索，对人类政治文明的巨大贡献。
What is a “suitable policy for Hong Kong” then? After careful consideration, Deng came up with the great and innovative concept of “one country, two systems”, a brand-new and feasible solution for the international community, as well as China, in resolving this kind of inherited problem. This is a bold experiment in national governance and a significant contribution to human civilization.
“一国两制”最初是为解决台湾问题提出的，却首先在香港落地，这是历史的机缘选择。回归20多年来，“一国两制”由构想变为现实，得到国际社会的普遍认可，香港整体上保持了繁荣稳定，证明“一国两制”是行得通、办得到、得人心的。1997年美国《财富》杂志曾断言“香港已死”，十多年后不得不承认“我们错了”。
“One country, two systems” was originally designed to resolve the question of Taiwan but ended up being applied to Hong Kong first. The rest is history. More than 22 years after China resumed the exercise of sovereign rule over Hong Kong, the “one country, two systems” principle has proved its effectiveness in sustaining Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, and gained recognition from the international community. Precisely because it proved workable, doable and popular, the US-based Fortune magazine, which declared not long before July 1, 1997 “Hong Kong is dead”, admitted more than a decade later, “We were wrong.”
作为一种新模式，“一国两制”在实践中遇到冲突和挑战在所难免。*主席说：“一个不知道自己来路的民族，是没有出路的民族。” 回溯历史有助于解释和解决今天的问题。比如，为什么选择“一国两制”而不是“一国一制”？为什么是“行政主导”而不是“三权分立”？为什么说中央对香港有全面管治权？香港回归后什么都没变吗？2047后还有“一国两制”吗？等等。
As a new governance format, the exercise of “one country, two systems” will inevitably encounter conflicts and challenges. President Xi Jinping pointed out: “A nation that does not know where it came from has no idea where to go.” Reflecting upon the past helps explain and resolve the questions at hand, including the questions of why the central government chose “one country, two systems” over “one country, one system”; why the governance of the SAR is led by the executive branch instead of having a separation of powers among the executive, legislative and judicial; why the central government exercises overall jurisdiction over Hong Kong; whether it’s true that nothing has changed after China resumed sovereign rule over Hong Kong; and whether “one country, two systems” will prevail beyond 2047.
这些问题搞清楚了，澄清似是而非的误解和混淆视听的曲解，就知道该坚持和完善什么，该纠正和摒弃什么，“一国两制”之路就会行稳致远，越走越宽。
Once these questions are answered, misunderstandings clarified, and confusing misinterpretations debunked, people will know what should be maintained, improved, corrected or abandoned. Only then will we be able to implement “one country, two systems” consistently and surely with increasing confidence and ease for as long as necessary.
大道至简。让我们一起步入系列漫谈，梳理“一国两制”的脉络，重温“一国两制”的初心。
The simplest way is usually the correct way. The next chapter of this series will discuss and straighten out the concept of “one country, two systems” by recalling its original intent.
原文刊登于4月6日《中国日报香港版》
