Hong Kong is currently facing some severe challenges and will continue to in the months ahead. With an economic downturn, social unrest and political wrangling occurring at the same time, forging unity among the majority of society is the only solution that will save us during such an adverse time.

Economic hardship can be seen by poor employment conditions, the brunt of which will be borne by some 20,000 to 30,000 fresh graduates who are expected to join the workforce soon. A double whammy of persistent social unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically reduced the number of job vacancies for university graduates in Hong Kong. In a media interview, recruitment website JobsDB said there were only about 20,000 vacancies for graduates between January and April — 55 percent fewer than that in the same period last year. Even worse is that the median income in Hong Kong could be reduced by up to 20 percent.

What complicates matters further is the upcoming Legislative Council elections in September. The opposition camp is busy starting more and more political disputes and controversies to serve their subversive political agenda. The plan to dominate LegCo by seizing more than half the available seats is widely supported in the opposition camp. June and July will be critical months as a significant election campaign coincides with the anniversaries of the anti-extradition-bill movement. That explains the resurgence of violent protests in Hong Kong since May. The opposition camp is trying to test the public’s response while preparing for a new wave of anti-government activities in the latter half of 2020. Because of these antagonistic plans, Hong Kong people are not given any time for rest and recovery.

The path to unity seems to be a very hard one. But it is still achievable under the framework of “one country, two systems”, which facilitates Hong Kong’s internal unity as “Hong kongers”, as well as national unity as “Chinese”. The key is that we have to respect both “one country” and “two systems” — the former has been overlooked by some stakeholders

Thwarting the malicious plots of the opposition will require solidarity. Unity has two dimensions, with the first being internal unity. Hong Kong society has to reject, as quickly as possible, the “yellow camp versus blue camp” notion concocted by opposition politicians. Supporters of both “camps” are victims of the current economic downturn. Therefore, attempts to dislodge the other side are futile and a waste of time. Instead, we must seek a common ground to move forward. Any factors that disrupt internal unity should be tackled as soon as possible.

The second dimension is national unity. As a small and open economy, Hong Kong cannot restore its vibrancy solely through its 7.5 million people. This is the reality we have to accept. If Hong Kong wants to rejuvenate itself quickly, participating in national development will give us a better chance.

Therefore, issues that would hinder the relationship between Hong Kong and the motherland should be curtailed. It is obvious Sino-US tensions have taken a turn for the worse in the wake of the pandemic. To undermine China, Washington will continue to take advantage of Hong Kong as the “loophole” in China’s national security. Pro-US politicians in the opposition camp will act as political agents of the US to provoke anti-China sentiment in Hong Kong. We have to say “no” to these traitors and vote them out in the upcoming elections.

The path to unity seems to be a very hard one. But it is still achievable under the framework of “one country, two systems”, which facilitates Hong Kong’s internal unity as “Hong kongers”, as well as national unity as “Chinese”. The key is that we have to respect both “one country” and “two systems” — the former has been overlooked by some stakeholders. The principle of “one country” needs to be accomplished through national education and enacting national security law. As a step forward in promoting internal unity, I was very happy to see the establishment of the Hong Kong Coalition recently. The coalition consists of members from different sectors and of different social statuses who will focus on helping to improve employment conditions and fighting the pandemic.

With a common ground aimed at countering the opposition camp’s “scorched earth” politics, Hong Kong cannot lose if we choose the path to unity. As a famous African saying goes: “When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.” As well as removing the enemy within, further steps need to be taken to win over more of our foreign friends to achieve broader unity. To this end, we need to remind the international community that a stable Hong Kong serves their best interests. Forthcoming months will be defining moments of Hong Kong’s future. Whether we are capable of overcoming the challenges ahead will decide Hong Kong’s fate for decades to come.

The author is senior research officer of the One Country Two Systems Research Institute.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.