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Hong Kong Exceptionalism

Hong Kong Exceptionalism

"I know the Hong Kong culture, and that was seen as a hard slap in the face."
"China was ignoring the wishes of the Hong Kong people again. We have minds of our own. People felt they had to get Beijing's attention."
Joseph Ng, Canadian, Hong Kong factory owner

"There are 50 shades of protest right now, and 100 different views about them. There are obvious divisions inside the movement. Things are not so black and white as some foreigners like to think."
"I'm not absolutely against an escalation of the protest, because it seems to be getting nowhere right now. But I also think that leaders need to step up and be recognized, specific problems need to be identified, and solutions need to be proposed. What's happening now is symbolic and has attracted lots of notice, but without a concrete plan of action, it's going to be useless."
Daniel Cheung, Hong Kong

That fact is demonstrated by counter-protesters battling demonstrators who had blockaded a key intersection all week in Mong Kok, a crowded retail district in Kowloon. People described by some onlookers as hooligans and gang members began fighting with student demonstrators. And that's the point at which police intervened as thousands crowded into the intersection and nearby streets, shouting "protect the students", screaming at police to arrest the aggressors.

Mr. Cheung also pointed out that like most people on Hong Kong, he considers himself a citizen of Hong Kong first, secondly a Chinese citizen. Yet among the general population opinions vary with many people claiming the protests have gone on long enough. The message was sent, and it's been received. Time to clean up the streets and return to normalcy. Tourism is down, traffic tied up, buses redirected or cancelled, and children can't get to classes. Money is being lost.

Pro-democracy protesters rest on a highway next to the central government offices in Hong Kong on 6 October 2014 - Photo AFP

Hong Kong's chief executive, C.Y. Leung, has responded in part; the protesters' insistence that he step down will never be met. In response to threats his office would be stormed, he announced instructing his deputy to hold talks with the student protest leaders. The threat of occupation was called off. Protest crowds were noticeably smaller, though barricades remained on some streets and some scuffles broke out between police and activists.

On the other hand, China has not sent in the People's Liberation Army troops. But the demonstrations have been condemned, and characterized as illegal. Beijing has decided to stand back, to allow the island's administration to take care of the situation. For the time being, in any event. According to Bryan Druzin a Canadian assistant professor of law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the dissent "exploded as if from nowhere".

"Technology is playing a crucial role in sustaining these protests. As a law professor at a university where much of the student body is participating in these protests, I know first-hand how technologically proficient the educated youth of the city is. With a wealthy, politically advanced, and technologically-savvy populace, I fear we may have a perfect storm. People are revved up and politically charged, and there is a bandwagon effect", he explained.

"My fear is that external involvement would bring about the exact opposite of the intended effect. It may trigger a rapid escalation for [all] sides. Highly vocal international support runs the risk of painting the protests in the eyes of the Chinese people as Western-backed, or worse, foreign-orchestrated. Such a perception may force Beijing's hand. The Chinese government has historically shown itself reluctant to do anything that may be interpreted by the Chinese people as bowing to foreign pressure."

Labels: China, Conflict, Hong Kong, Social-Cultural Deviations

posted by Pieface @ Sunday, October 05, 2014