Central government's policymakers and advisers on Hong Kong affairs on Saturday gathered in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen seeking to find a solution to end the weeks-long protests in Hong Kong.

"Even under the condition that the central government is forced to step in and calm down the unrest in Hong Kong, it does not mean the end of 'One Country, Two Systems'," said Lau Siu-kai, the vice president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, who is also a veteran scholar teaching at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

It rather means the central government is fulfilling its obligation to Hong Kong and safeguarding the implementation of the "One Country, Two Systems" from external interference, Lau said.

The remarks were made at a seminar attended by 40 heavyweight policymakers and scholars to commemorate the 115th anniversary of the birthday of late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, who proposed to accomplish the reunification of China based on the principle of "One Country, Two Systems."

Lau said the current political crisis is not only about the country's sovereignty, national security and integrity and the functioning of "One Country, Two Systems," but also about who governs Hong Kong, Hong Kong's global status and long-term prosperity.
"If the 'Occupy Central' movement was the battle between the central government and Hong Kong's opposition, the current crisis is the battle between China and U.S.-led anti-China foreign forces," Lau said.

"It's conditional that Beijing allows Hong Kong to implement 'One Country, Two Systems,' which means upholding the 'One Country' is a must," said Wang Zhenmin, the director of Hong Kong and Macao Studies at Tsinghua University, who is also a former official at the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong.

Beijing wants to see a stable and prosperous Hong Kong, which is based on the principle of safeguarding "One Country," Wang said.
The recent violence and riots not only ruin the future of youth in Hong Kong but challenge the rule of law and order and the "One Country, Two Systems," he added.

"The central government has repeatedly said that it firmly upholds the 'One Country, Two Systems' principle. You have to ask yourself whether you want 'One Country, Two Systems' or 'One Country, One System.' Hong Kong's future is in your own hands," said Wang.

"You reap what you sow. What you are doing today determines whether Hong Kong can keep 'One Country, Two Systems' in the future," he added.