The World This Year

Photo Source: BBC
   NIAS Course on Global Politics
National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS)
Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore
For any further information or to subscribe to GP alerts send an email to subachandran@nias.res.in

CWA # 197, 31 December 2019
The World This Year
Hong Kong in 2019: China's New Achilles Heel

  Sukanya Bali

What happened?
Anti-government demonstrations against China’s efforts to ‘Mainlandize’ Hong Kong rocked the City in 2019. The protests escalated with the proposed amendment, which would allow people to be extradited to mainland China for trial and prosecution. Gradually the protests transpired largely into a pro-democracy-movement.  People marched on the streets, demonstrated in malls and violently clashed with civil security forces from the last six months, mostly during weekends and the movements show no signs of dying.

The protest which started over the controversial extradition bill that threatened Hong Kong’s independence erected an army of about 8,00,000 people, led to the arrest of over 5000. The police used over 10,000 canisters of tear gas, fired around 4,000 rubber bullets and dozens of live rounds in last six months.

Streets of Hong Kong echoed, “Hong Kong, Persist!” & “Hong Kong, Resist”, as people rebelled against the government.  In December, a brief period of ‘peaceful protests’ following a landslide victory for pro-democracy campaigners ended and ‘violence’ returned to the streets as police and demonstrators clashed during the Christmas holiday.   

What is the background?
The extradition bill, introduced in Hong Kong which escalated a yearlong protest has impacted the social, political and economic structure of the nation. The protest which led to 3D’s i.e. Demonstration, Destruction and Division in Hong Kong are self-explanatory about the current situation.  

Hong Kong a former British colony was returned to China, in 1997.  According to the terms of the 1984 Sino-British ‘Joint Declaration’, Hong Kong would have autonomy in its internal affairs, whereas its defence and foreign policy would be under China. The principle of ‘One country, two systems’ under China’s ‘Basic Law’, guarantees an autonomous judicial and economic system in Hong Kong.       

Over the years several attempts were made by China to undermine the autonomy and pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong. The requirement of China’s approval for candidature in elections sparked the Umbrella Revolution in 2014, but eventually died down. In 2017 people protested in thousands against the jailing of democracy-activists of Demosisto party Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow. After 20 years of declaration, Xi warned Hong Kong, any demand against its national sovereignty would be dealt harshly.

Chan Tong-Kai, 19, a Hong Konger, admitted killing his girlfriend, Poon Hiu-wing 20 in Taiwan, 2018. The crime committed in Taiwan could not be prosecuted as countries lacked the extradition treaty. Conveniently, in February 2019 the Hong Kong government proposed an amendment to Fugitive Offender Ordinance and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters ordinance, to transfer of the criminals to mainland China, Taiwan and Macau. Critics described the proposal, a Trojan horse as it threatened the autonomy of the legal system in Hong Kong. It would enhance China’s influence in internal affairs and can also be used to extradite political dissidents to mainland China.

Hong Kong saw its first pro-democracy protests in March 2019, where thousands took to the streets against extradition bill and marched to government headquarters, Admiralty. Protestor’s demanded withdrawal of extradition bill, the government to retract characterization of protesters as rioters, universal adult suffrage, enquiry into police brutality and release of people arrested during protests.

The bill was suspended in June, and withdrawn completely in September as unrest expanded, but this did not suffice the protestors. Protestors claimed, “It’s too little, too late” to stop the agitation without fulfillment of all the demands by the government.  Protests swelled-up in weeks and saw the union of teachers, lawyers, artists and social workers all over on the streets of Hong Kong. They have used increasingly improvised tactics for expressing dissent.  In July, violent clashes erupted between pro-Beijing protestors and pro-democracy protestors. Police relentlessly used force against protestors, which drew criticism from the human right organization. Riot police fired tear gases, shot rubber bullets at close range and sprayed dye on protestors to arrest them later.

Defiant demonstrators marched to the airport which disrupted almost 200 flight services in one of the world’s busiest airports. Protest rallies were organized near the U.S. consulate and called for help ‘to liberate’ Hong Kong. China has repeatedly accused the U.S. of interfering and asserted Hong Kong its integral part. It extended full support to the pro-Beijing government of Hong Kong. The protest witnessed Chinese military move troops to borders of Hong Kong, evidently to threaten protestors.

The protestors concerns widened onto free press, academics and business. This movement divided Hong Kong between pro-democracy and pro-China. The protests evolved from ‘long-standing march’ to ‘small wildcat march’ in multiple areas. In elections that witnessed a 71-per cent-voters turn-out, pro-democracy campaigners won in 17 of the 18 councils.  
November was the bloodiest month for Hong Kong, with the death of a pro-democracy protestor and another pro-Beijing supporter set ablaze.  Despite an escalation of violent clashes from June to December, a challenge still persists for the protestors to convince the government on their consistent demands.

The United States passed legislation to support pro-democracy protests in November. The law requires the secretary of state to assess the autonomy of Hong Kong and also states that the U.S. give visas to people from Hong Kong not involved violent demonstrations. The U.S. also approved measures to control sale and export of equipment’s used by Hong Kong police. China expressed its displeasure over U.S. moves.

What does it mean?
Firstly, the protests would affect the local business and international trade. The economy of the city contracted in the last two quarters. Rampant protests across Hong Kong impacted the transport sector and resulted in the decline of tourists. Arrivals at airports fell by 40 per cent and hotel occupancy rates also fell sharply. Six months of continuous protests have affected investor-confidence and hurt the population of Hong Kong eventually.

Secondly, the protest has divided the society and became a battleground, where pro-democracy protestors clash with both pro-Beijing supporters and security forces, who are also fellow citizens. Police are handicapped and merely obey orders from establishments. A sense of mistrust towards each other grew, eroding the social fabric of Hong Kong.

Thirdly, the extradition bill was an attempt by China to strengthen its grip on Hong Kong. Dragon’s growth in the region is evident as its economic and military capabilities enhanced over the years. It is not likely that China would crackdown on the protestors with its military and repeat a Tiananmen Square, as it would hurt its image.

Fourthly, China is not likely to cave in to all the demands of persistent protestors or let go of Hong Kong, for it may inspire rebellion in other parts of China.

Internationally the protests attracted criticism from a few human right watch organizations but China’s economic might and rising status has muted responses from many countries.   
The Chief executive Carrie Lam is left with little options and protests continue to take a toll on the society and economy. The four demands of protestors have been refused. Either side perpetrated the violence, with police using blue dye, tear gas, petrol bomb, arrests, and water cannon for straight 28 weekend unrests and protests became a perpetual sight in Hong Kong this year.
 
Sukanya Bali is a Research Associate with ISSSP, NIAS. She can be contacted at sukanya9494@gmail.com 

Print Bookmark

PREVIOUS COMMENTS

NIAS Global Politics Database
March 2024 | CWA # 1251

NIAS Africa Team

Africa This Week
NIAS Global Politics Database
February 2024 | CWA # 1226

NIAS Africa Team

Africa This Week
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1189

Hoimi Mukherjee | Hoimi Mukherjee is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science in Bankura Zilla Saradamani Mahila Mahavidyapith.

Chile in 2023: Crises of Constitutionality
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1187

Aprajita Kashyap | Aprajita Kashyap is a faculty of Latin American Studies, School of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi.

Haiti in 2023: The Humanitarian Crisis
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1185

Binod Khanal | Binod Khanal is a Doctoral candidate at the Centre for European Studies, School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi.

The Baltic: Energy, Russia, NATO and China
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1183

Padmashree Anandhan | Padmashree Anandhan is a Research Associate at the School of Conflict and Security Studies, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangaluru.

Germany in 2023: Defence, Economy and Energy Triangle
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1178

​​​​​​​Ashok Alex Luke | Ashok Alex Luke is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science at CMS College, Kottayam.

China and South Asia in 2023: Advantage Beijing?
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1177

Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri | Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri is a postgraduate student at the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies at the University of Madras, Chennai.

China and East Asia
The War in Ukraine
October 2023 | CWA # 1091

Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri

Issues for Europe
IPRI Quarterly Forecasts I Triggers, Trends, and Trajectories
July 2023 | CWA # 1012

Bibhu Prasad Routray

Myanmar continues to burn
2022: The World This Year
December 2022 | CWA # 879

Padmashree Anandhan

The Ukraine War
Europe: Heatwaves, Wildfires, Droughts, and Ice Melt in Alps
November 2022 | CWA # 838

Rishma Banerjee

Tracing Europe's droughts
NIAS Africa Weekly
March 2022 | CWA # 705

NIAS Africa Team

In Focus: Libya
The World This Week: 150th Issue
December 2021 | CWA # 630

GP Team

Europe in 2021
Pakistan Reader
October 2021 | CWA # 588

Abigail Miriam Fernandez

TLP is back again
NIAS Fortnightly on Science, Technology & International Relations
August 2021 | CWA # 528

STIR Team

Space Tourism
Science, Technology and International Relations
September 2019 | CWA # 162

Lakshman Chakravarthy N

5G: A Primer
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 71

Mahesh Bhatta | Centre for South Asian Studies, Kathmandu

Nepal
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 70

Nasima Khatoon | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS

The Maldives
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 69

Harini Madhusudan | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS

India
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 68

Sourina Bej | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS

Bangladesh
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 67

Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS

Afghanistan