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Regarding whether Beijing or central authorities intervened during the incident, officials clarified that they had received no direct instructions or calls from Beijing concerning the TFX armor vehicles. The spokesman emphasized that under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy, especially in matters of customs and trade regulation.
Hong Kong functions as a distinct customs territory and is a separate member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enabling it to conduct its own trade policies independent of mainland China. The incident was thus managed internally, within the framework of local legislation and autonomous administration.