Recently, Sheng Huaren, Vice Chairmen of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, announced that Mainland China has the authority to overrule decisions of the Hong Kong government and implement China’s law as an emergency response plan to any major social disorder.

According to Sheng, Mainland China has decision-making power in the selection process and this has affected the implementation of the Basic Law and the “one country, two systems” policy that was agreed upon when Hong Kong was turned over to China from British rule in 1997. He added that Hong Kong must "proceed in an orderly way" according to the Basic Law and at the same time China’s central government will still intervene, since although Hong Kong implements a capitalist system, it still must recognize that its autonomy is authorized by the central government. China will not permit any activity in Hong Kong that is against China’s central government and is aimed at splitting the country. Also, the Chinese Communist Party is authorized to take emergency command in Hong Kong if any major social disorder erupts.

Chen Zuoer, a senior official in Hong Kong, said that Mainland China authorizes Hong Kong’s autonomy and some people see this as a division of power but this is not correct. According to Chen, China is a one-system country and Mainland China has the decision-making power within Hong Kong.