generalspeaking

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Praying for Hong Kong's "One Country, Two Systems"

"When the fugitive extradition bill is passed, Hong Kong will become a 'useless Hong Kong'."
"We will be deep in a place where foreign investors are afraid to invest and tourists are afraid to go."
"Once the Pearl of the Orient', [it] will become nothing."
Jimmy Sham, convener, Civil Human Rights Front, Hong Kong

"Maybe we [Hong Kong] will die, but we will not die in silence."
"We are protesting until the end."
Sunny, Leung, 24, protester

"[The size of the demonstration and frustration of people in Hong Kong create for Hong Kong's chief executive Carrie Lam the] greatest crisis for the credibility and authority of her administration."
"Although it is unlikely that most people would be affected by the proposed bill, many in Hong Kong no longer believe that she [Lam] would defend Hong Kong's core values such as freedom and the rule of law and her way of life."
Peter T.Y. Cheung, associate professor, department of politics and public administration, University of Hong Kong

How many within China or externally actually believed the Communist Party of China's promise not to interfere in Hong Kong, to adhere to the "one country, two party" framework that was agreed upon to allow Hong Kong a degree of political autonomy from Beijing when the island state was handed back to China in 1997? It was, according to skeptics, only a matter of time before Beijing would set aside the agreement in favour of restoring 'harmony' and a "one country, one party" reality. All it needed was time.

An official estimate of 250,000 protesters, whose numbers were in fact, contested when the number was put up to a million on the weekend demanding that Beijing remain true to its promise and not interfere with Hong Kong's autonomy, might have moved any other chief executive to back down, but evidently not Beijing's choice, Carrie Lam, one tough legislator, insisting her intention to press on with the proposed law allowing extradition to the mainland.

Protester try to use water to put out tear gas which the police used against them in Hong Kong Photograph: Geovien So/SOPA Images/REX/Shutterstock

Beijing is, through its bulldozing of this bill in the Hong Kong legislature, informing any who had thoughts that China would honour its commitment to permitting Hong Kong to remain as it was under British rule, how in error they are. The political autonomy that assured Hong Kong it would remain politically, socially, economically and culturally separate from the mainland is vanishing. When Britain prepared in 1997 to hand Hong Kong back to China with special provisions, wealthy citizens of Hong Kong desperately sought citizenship abroad; a lifeboat should China renege.

Now that it has, it remains to be seen how many citizens with dual passports will now leave for good to take up residence elsewhere. Hong Kong's 70-seat Legislative Council, led by the pro-Beijing Carrie Lam prepared for its second debate on the bill against broad opposition. Under tight security around the legislature and riot police presence, protesters continued their heated objections against the trajectory leading Hong Kong into Beijing's direct clutches.

A police officer fires tear gas during clashes with protesters in Hong Kong on Wednesday. PHILIP FONG/AFP/Getty Images

Strikes and go-slows, ongoing protests were planned as the legislature debated the bill again. Protesters representing small business owners, students, bus drivers, social workers, teachers all committed to a last-ditch protest hoping to block the bill's passage. Even the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong became involved, urging the government not to pass the bill "hurriedly", and that Christians pray for the future of Hong Kong.

Hopes for further democratic reforms have intersected with China's interference in local elections. According to official Chinese media it is "foreign forces" who are behind the chaos over the extradition bill.