Background
For more than 150 years, Hong Kong was a British colony and developed as a trading port and home to Chinese immigrants. In 1997, it was returned to China as an autonomous city that could take independent decisions across all matters except for foreign and defence affairs. Therefore, Hong Kong benefits from greater freedom and privileges than mainland China. However, certain rights regarding freedom of expression and press have recently been taken away from the population.
Moreover, Hong Kong’s leader has been voted by a 1200-member committee of mainly pro-Beijing individuals who have been selected by 6% of eligible voters. While Hong Kong’s constitution declares that the elections should be more democratic, the Chinese disagree and want to continue the current electoral process.
Only 11% of Hong Kong’s inhabitants consider themselves “Chinese” and 71% are not proud of being Chinese, and this trend is evident particularly among young adults. This is because they feel that there are political, cultural, and social differences with the Chinese, to the point where certain activists have asked for Hong Kong’s complete independence.
The protests
Recent protests have been sparked by a measure to, according to the Sun, “extradite those accused of crime to mainland China and Taiwan”. Protests against the Chinese government started in March 2019 and developed in June through peaceful marches, strikes from industries, and smaller vandal acts. The purpose of the opposition has now become to call for democracy and police liability. During various protests, the police have brutally repressed the demonstrators, causing a rise in discontent among the population.
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, had to suspend and finally annul the extradition process of the convicted, but accused the protestors of wanting to “destroy Hong Kong”. The current condition is having a negative effect on the country’s economy, not only because of the flights that were cancelled after a major strike in the city’s airport but also because of revenue loss and interference with investments.
International response
The international response to the situation has been limited as some Chinese officials affirmed that these are entirely “internal affairs”. UK’s ex-Foreign Secretary declared “support for Hong Kong and its freedom”, and his successor Dominic Raab also showed concern regarding the situation. The American President Donald Trump called for everyone to “be calm and safe”. The European Union stated that “rights should be respected”, and most European nations support freedom of expression and the need to find a peaceful solution to the issue.
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