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Hong Kong national security law helps ensure long-term stability of “one country, two systems”

Published

6 years ago

July 3, 2020

John Okeke

On June 30, the Standing Committee of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) passed the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and adopted a decision to list the law in Annex III to the HKSAR Basic Law.

As a major move of the central government to manage Hong Kong affairs since its return to the motherland in 1997, the law will fully and faithfully implement the principle of “one country, two systems” and the HKSAR Basic Law, help safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, maintain Hong Kong’s lasting prosperity and stability, and ensure the long-term stability of “one country, two systems”. It bears both practical and historical significance.

The practice of “one country, two systems” has achieved a universally recognized success in Hong Kong since its return to the motherland. However, it has also encountered new circumstances and problems.

Especially since the disturbance related to the now-withdrawn ordinance amendments concerning the transfer of fugitives in the HKSAR last June, the “anti-China” forces in Hong Kong have publicly supported “Hong Kong’s independence,” “self-determination” and “referendum” and engaged in activities to undermine the national unity and separate Hong Kong from China.

Meanwhile, some foreign and external forces blatantly interfered in Hong Kong affairs, supporting and protecting the “anti-China” forces in Hong Kong and using Hong Kong to damage the national security of China.

The Chinese people, including the Hong Kong compatriots, have realized more than ever that the long-term absence of a national security law in Hong Kong has plunged the special administrative region into the gravest situation since its return to the motherland and that the collusion of “anti-China” forces inside and outside Hong Kong has greatly hindered the long-term stability of the “one country, two systems” principle.

The principle of “one country, two systems” was proposed to achieve and maintain national unity, while safeguarding national security is at the core of the principle.

Enacting the law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR based on the authorization of the NPC, the Standing Committee of the NPC aims to improve institutional mechanisms related to the implementation of the Constitution, the HKSAR Basic Law, and the NPC Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the HKSAR to Safeguard National Security under new circumstances. It will work to plug the legal loopholes, make up for the lack of relevant mechanisms and deal with shortcomings of the HKSAR in safeguarding national security. Besides, it will also prompt the HKSAR to fulfill its constitutional and major responsibilities to safeguard national security, make systematic and comprehensive regulation in legal system and implementation mechanism at both national and the HKSAR levels, and properly handle the docking, compatibility, and complementarity between the law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR and relevant national and HKSAR laws.

These efforts are made to fully and faithfully implement the principle of “one country, two systems” and make sure the principle is not distorted in practice and keeps advancing in the right direction.

The legislation on national security is a legislative power of every sovereign state, be it unitary or federal.

The law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, which has 66 articles in six chapters, is a comprehensive law that covers the contents in substantive law, procedural law and organic law.

It clearly stipulates the duties and government bodies of the HKSAR for safeguarding national security; the four categories of offences – secession, subversion, terrorist activities, and collusion with a foreign country or external elements to endanger national security – and their corresponding penalties; jurisdiction, applicable law and procedure; office of the central government for safeguarding national security in the HKSAR; and other contents.

The legislation thus establishes a legal system and enforcement mechanism for the HKSAR to safeguard national security.

It not only plugs the legal loopholes of Hong Kong in protecting national security, but effectively restrains the “anti-China” forces in Hong Kong, thus preventing and controlling the risks in national security and consolidating the foundation of “one country, two systems”.

Only when the basis of “one country” is guaranteed can Hong Kong embrace greater benefits of “two systems”.

It should be noted that the newly-adopted legislation only targets a few actions and activities that seriously endanger national security, such as “Hong Kong’s independence,” “black-clad violence,” and mobsters’ “mutual destruction.” It will not affect the capitalist system in the region or its high degree of autonomy and legal system.

Only with national security can Hong Kong guarantee its social stability, lay the foundations for solving development problems, and effectively protect the life and property safety, rights and freedom of the Hong Kong residents. National security will also enable the HKSAR government and society to concentrate on solving the deep-seated contradictions and problems related to the economy and people’s livelihood.

In a word, “one country, two systems” could only be put into better practice when national security is well protected.

The year 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the promulgation of the HKSAR Basic Law. As a legal and

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Strategic Partnerships, Diaspora Investment and Improved Workforce Critical to Industrialization-DG RMRDC

Published

40 mins ago

November 12, 2026

The Gleamer

By: Stella Azi and Adaora Adibe

The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, has called for a strategic shift from the exportation of raw commodities to domestic processing, manufacturing and value addition, declaring that Nigeria possesses enormous untapped raw material resources capable of driving industrialisation, creating jobs and strengthening the country’s economic competitiveness.

Prof. Ike-Muonso made this submission in a lecture titled Unlocking Nigeria’s Raw Material Value Chain for Industrialization, Manufacturing and Competitiveness, where he presented an extensive assessment of Nigeria’s resource endowments, industrial challenges and emerging investment opportunities across agricultural commodities, solid minerals and waste-based raw materials.

The lecture highlighted a combined US$2.65 trillion global market opportunity across 30 major raw material value chains, comprising 12 agricultural value chains valued at US$932 billion, 11 mineral value chains worth US$1.352 trillion and seven circular-economy value chains estimated at US$366 billion.

According to the RMRDC Boss, Nigeria must move beyond the traditional approach of extracting and exporting raw materials to building competitive domestic industries that transform these resources into intermediate products, industrial inputs and finished goods for local consumption and international markets.

He observed that the country’s manufacturing sector has struggled to sustain its 2014 peak, with its contribution to real Gross Domestic Product declining from 9.64 per cent in 2014 to 8.05 per cent in 2025, representing a 16.5 per cent decline. He also drew attention to the increasing cost of raw material imports, which rose to US$20.5 billion in 2025, approximately six times the 2020 level.

He explained that the growing dependence on imported industrial inputs exposes Nigerian manufacturers to foreign exchange volatility, increases production costs and weakens the competitiveness of locally manufactured products.

Prof. ke-Muonso stressed that the solution lies in developing domestic raw material value chains through deliberate investment in processing facilities, research and development, technology, infrastructure and stronger linkages between producers, processors and manufacturers.

He identified agriculture, solid minerals and industrial waste as three major resource platforms for Nigeria’s industrial transformation, stating the country’s significant production capacity and the enormous opportunities available for downstream processing.

Ike-Muonso noted that Nigeria produces over 63 million metric tonnes of cassava annually, making it the world’s largest producer, while also maintaining strong positions in cocoa, cashew, sesame, palm oil and cotton. However, more than 80 per cent of agricultural output leaves farms without adequate processing, resulting in the loss of significant economic value and industrial opportunities.

In the solid minerals sector, he identified more than 44 commercially viable minerals across over 500 locations, including lithium, gold, barite, bitumen, iron ore and high-grade limestone, describing them as strategic resources capable of supporting steel production, energy storage, electrification and advanced manufacturing.

The DG further drew attention to Nigeria’s industrial and agro-waste resources, noting that the country generates over 32 million tonnes of solid waste annually. He explained that agricultural residues, cassava peels, scrap metals, plastics and electronic waste could serve as important feedstock for bio-fertilisers, industrial chemicals, recycled polymers, energy production and other manufacturing applications.

In the agricultural sector, the DG identified cassava and industrial starch, cotton and natural textiles, natural rubber and elastomers, oil palm and oleochemicals, maize derivatives and cocoa processing as priority areas requiring increased investment.

He explained that processing agricultural commodities into industrial starch, sweeteners, textiles, technical rubber, specialty fats and other intermediate products would enable Nigeria to capture more value from its agricultural resources while reducing dependence on imported industrial inputs.

For the minerals sector, he highlighted crude oil-to-olefins and petrochemicals, lithium and energy storage, iron ore and steel, rare earth elements, bauxite and aluminium, and copper and electrification as strategic investment opportunities.

He particularly emphasised the importance of moving beyond mineral extraction into beneficiation, refining, battery precursors, industrial chemicals, metal fabrication and advanced materials production.

On the circular economy, Prof. Ike-Muonso identified electronic waste recovery, scrap metal recycling, plastic waste processing, agro-waste valorisation and battery recycling as emerging industrial opportunities.

He explained that transforming waste into productive industrial feedstock would not only reduce environmental pollution but also create new manufacturing industries, generate employment and reduce the importation of valuable industrial materials.

He noted that to address the structural challenges confronting raw material-based industrialisation, the DG highlighted the strategic interventions of the RMRDC, particularly the proposed 30% Value Addition Bill and the Nigeria Integrated Information Statistical System for Raw Materials and Products (NISSRAMP).

He described the 30% Value Addition Bill as an important policy instrument designed to encourage domestic processing of raw materials before export, strengthen local manufacturing capacity and guarantee access to essential raw materials for Nigerian industries, and NISSRAMP as a critical data infrastructure that would improve access to verified information on the availability, location and quality of raw materials.

According to him, the combination of appropriate policy instruments and reliable resource data would help de-risk investments, improve transparency and strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He emphasised the importance of collaboration among government, academia and industry in developing bankable projects, sharing investment risks and accelerating the establishment of processing and manufacturing facilities.

Professor Ike-Muonso called on Nigerians in the diaspora and other local and international investors to take advantage of the opportunities available in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He identified industrial processing parks, mineral beneficiation and refining, agro-industrial platforms, circular-material processing, industrial input manufacturing and enabling infrastructure as viable investment platforms.

He noted that diaspora investors could contribute beyond financial capital by bringing technology, international business networks, governance standards, technical expertise and access to global markets.

He maintained that Nigeria’s industrial transformation requires coordinated investment across the entire value chain, from raw material sourcing and aggregation to processing, manufacturing, certification and export development.

Professor Ike-Muonso stressed that the country’s industrial future would depend not merely on the volume of raw materials extracted but on the capacity to transform them into competitive products that meet domestic and international market requirements.

He maintained that developing local value chains would stimulate industrial growth, create employment opportunities, diversify exports, conserve foreign exchange and deepen Nigeria’s technological capabilities.

Through its strategic interventions, the RMRDC is positioning itself as a critical bridge between resource availability, investment opportunities and industrial competitiveness, with the ultimate objective of transforming Nigeria from a predominantly raw material exporting economy into a strong manufacturing and value-adding nation.

Ike-Muonso has demonstrated this since assumption of office as the Director General/ CEO RMRDC in the area of capacity building, improved working conditions, promotion of merit, and maintaining a conducive environment that rewards excellence, innovation and dedication. This is evident in his institution of RMRDC training school, reward for winners of the RMRDC innovation challenge among others.

His commitment has brought recognition both nationally and internationally: Al-Jazirah double honour awards as Public Servant /Government Agency of the year 2024-2025 and the recent election as the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Representative on the Board of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO) is a attestation to his commitment.

Concluding the lecture, the DG charged staff, researchers, manufacturers and investors to see themselves as nation builders in the new era of raw materials-led industrialization.

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