The city of Hong Kong can be described in a multitude of ways. Geographically, it is a metropolitan area located on the eastern Pearl River Delta of the South China Sea, just south of the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen. Population wise, it holds around 7.5 million people - the majority are of Chinese descent, but there is also a substantial Western population due to the British colonial rule which ended in 1997, as well as large groups of other Asian ethnicities who previously emigrated to the city for work. Industrially, the city solidified its reputations as a financial hub, drawing in investors due to its close proximity to China and its previous history with the West due to the aforementioned British rule. 

I would describe Hong Kong as home – having been born and raised here, I have a deep love for its people, the beauty of the city, its surrounding mountains, and the ocean, and also for its food (I could wax lyrical about the food alone, but I will save that for another time).

Officially, it is known as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, or HKSAR for short, and at its core is the “One Country, Two Systems” principle. This principle states that although Hong Kong is a part of China, it is allowed to maintain the separate legal and judicial systems founded under British rule. It also has the ability to self-govern in all areas except for foreign relations and military defence (Hong Kong does not possess its own army, unlike other city-states such as Singapore). Although Hong Kong has historically never had the democratic ability to elect its own leader, either under British or Chinese rule, many in the city feel that they have certain freedoms and rights which are denied to our cousins in the mainland. This is due to the strong emphasis placed on freedom of speech and freedom of thought, which many Hong Kong citizens hold dear. 

Hong Kong therefore finds itself at the centre of two very different approaches - the middle ground for East meets West. Though this seems like the perfect situation, the reality could not be more different - the events of the past year have shown that Hong Kong appears to be tearing itself apart, with no end in sight. 

Last April, the Hong Kong Government attempted to introduce an extradition bill into legislation which would have allowed criminals to be extradited to mainland China. Almost immediately, the bill was met with significant amounts of opposition from the general public, as well as from the various democratic political parties that oppose the Government. People flooded the streets, clad in black and chanting slogans against the bill, as they marched through various districts in the city - at its zenith, almost 2 million people turned out to peacefully protest. 

For context:

Many people in Hong Kong are extremely distrustful of the Mainland Chinese government, and fear that this extradition bill will be used by the CCP as a cover to extradite political critics and dissidents to China to face judgement.

For those interested in understanding why this is the case, I would recommend reading about the disappearances of the five Causeway Bay booksellers back in 2015, who were forcibly brought over to the mainland against their will due to their links to banned material critical of the CCP. As freedom of speech is recognised in Hong Kong and mainland Chinese authorities are not permitted to carry out acts in the territory, this was seen by many as an outright breach of the “One Country, Two Systems” rule by the Chinese government. 

Since last summer, the protests have become increasingly violent as tensions and anger have escalated on both sides. Protestors, frustrated at the Government’s silence and disinclination to hold talks, have physically and verbally attacked some pro-Beijing supporters. However, having been given carte blanche by the Government to contain the protests at any cost, it is undeniable that the greatest acts of violence have been committed by the police. From the use of live rounds, including shooting a live round into the chest of an 18-year-old protestor on October 1st, to firing rubber bullets at protestors in close proximity, to numerous videoed evidence of excessive force, the Hong Kong police force has gone from being one of the most respected in the world by its citizens to one of the most loathed, and it seems unlikely that this will be reversed soon.

I would argue that a fundamental reason for the current situation in Hong Kong is the difference in how China views the “One Country Two Systems” rule, versus how Hong Kong perceives it. After the British handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997, the “One Country Two Systems” rule was established in order to maintain stability. It stated that Hong Kong would continue to enjoy the political, socioeconomic, and legal systems put in place under British rule for at least fifty years without change. For Hong Kong citizens, it was clear that this principle was meant to safeguard the city’s way of life and beliefs. For China, it was a way for them to ensure Hong Kong was brought under its wing, the return of a rightful territory lost over a century ago. 

So what went wrong?

The emphasis on freedom so prevalent in Hong Kong has led many to call for the ability to hold democratic elections for our Chief Executive. China has so far resisted these calls, as it sees this as a threat to national security. However, as China tries to bring Hong Kong into line, many see their actions at best as mere interference, or at worst, malicious and planned attempts to control the territory. The attempted introduction of the extradition bill last year by the CCP-influenced Hong Kong Government was the final straw for many citizens, prompting the influx of protests. A proposed National Security Law for Hong Kong has been the most alarming recent development, especially as Beijing has decided to circumvent Hong Kong entirely and instead hold a vote in the National People’s Congress. Unsurprisingly, the vote was passed unanimously this week.  

It appears that China is adamant on tightening its grip on Hong Kong, despite the fact that this further alienates Hong Kong citizens. 

The new National Security Law itself is distressing. The law is directed at acts of “secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security,” and according to the South China Morning Post, will carry “a maximum penalty of life imprisonment,” contrary to earlier indications of a 10-year limit on jail terms. Essentially, it is the extradition bill made worse. Critics argue that it allows China to punish anyone who speaks out against the CCP, by accusing them of undermining national security. They argue that true freedom, a pillar of Hong Kong society, will be but a distant memory. The inclusion of such a hefty prison sentence indicates that the Chinese government means to crack down hard to ensure full control over Hong Kong and its people.

I hope I am wrong. I hope that this National Security Law will actually be used to protect Hong Kong from outside threats, instead of to punish those who seek to protect the free speech and just systems that are currently present within the city. I hope that the Hong Kong Government can start a dialogue with protestors, and that together we can achieve understanding and harmony between all involved. I also acknowledge, however, that I am being extremely optimistic, perhaps even ridiculously so. I am not sure where the answer lies to resolving the key differences in viewpoints between China and Hong Kong. But without this goal of resolution, without any attempts to bring both parties to mutual ground, I fear that Hong Kong’s agony will increase, and the city will continue to burn.

Y.B. is a recent graduate of the University of Leeds with a degree in Business Economics. Originally from Hong Kong, she has a deep love for anything related to food or films, and is passionate about politics and social issues. She is currently the TV News editor of the online publication The Indiependent.