Note: The views and opinions expressed in blog/editorial posts are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the views or opinions of Misbar.
With recent commotion being spurned by the lead actress of Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan, Hong Kong issues have once again been brought up in the American consciousness. Liu Yifei (who plays Mulan herself) has been highly criticized for her support of the Hong Kong police, who have been under fire for their questionable tactics and methods. Although the United States is currently occupied with covering its own domestic issues, the conflict in Hong Kong is nowhere near resolved.
Said conflict is occurring between protestors/activists who are unhappy with changes being made to Hong Kong’s laws, and the police who are attempting to quell violence and unrest. As early as the summer of 2019, the U.S. press was made aware of a war of information between these two sides. Fake news and misinformation soon became weaponized in the ongoing conflict. We at Misbar have found that examining the history of this conflict helps in understanding its gravity.
The Origins of the Hong Kong Protests
Hong Kong has been unique for some time. After the British Empire defeated China in the First Opium War, they were granted the island of Hong Kong. Under British rule, Hong Kong went from a temporarily occupied territory to a permanent economic base.
The defeats which China experienced during the Opium Wars began a period in which European and American powers vied for control of China’s precious trade resources, exploiting the country on many occasions. This era has come to be known as the “Century of Humiliation” in China and has played a significant part in the development of modern Chinese society.
The Chinese Communist Government has certainly not forgotten the destructive influence of foreign powers. In 2004 former Chinese General Secretary Hu Jintao made the declarative statement: “Western Hostile forces have not yet given up the wild ambition of trying to subjugate us.” Whether or not that is true is nearly impossible to say, but in any case China has pursued an agenda of aggressive military and economic expansion during the past two decades with hopes of becoming a formidable word power once again. It is fair to say that they have succeeded in that goal.
Since implementing economic reforms in 1978, China’s GDP (gross domestic product) has increased exponentially. Second only to the United States, China’s GDP eclipses the third largest economy (Japan) by approximately nine trillion dollars (U.S.). In terms of military strength China is surpassed by The United States and Russia alone. Additionally, General Secretary Xi Jinping and his party have implemented policies with the aim of infusing China’s communist culture with traditional Chinese values with the aim of creating a more well-rounded society (as well as increasing Jinping’s popularity).
Tying Up Loose Ends
With ever-increasing influence on all fronts, all that remains is to deal with the thorns in the side of China. One of those thorns is Hong Kong.
Despite being relinquished by Britain in 1997, the island retains a capitalist economic system as well as a degree of autonomy. Since then, Hong Kong has been gradually split between differing beliefs and policies; one side which promotes greater ties to mainland China, and the other which values the political, cultural, and economic independence of the island.
Tensions between China and Hong Kong came to a head in the Spring of 2019, when China proposed a piece of legislation that would allow for Hong Kong criminals to be extradited to mainland China. This was seen as deeply offensive by many people of Hong Kong, who viewed the move as a direct violation of their freedom and independence. Massive protests soon emerged to counter Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who supported the legislation. These demonstrators, who numbered in the hundreds of thousands, demanded that Lam resign and even stormed Hong Kong’s parliament building.
Although the extradition bill was suspended, the PRC continues to encroach on Hong Kong’s freedoms with new national security laws. Hong Kong law enforcement continues to use aggressive tactics, and the island’s democratic independence continues to be put in jeopardy. Just last week (September 6th, 2020) hundreds of protestors were arrested for violating assembly policies implemented due to covid-19, and taken into police custody.
A War of Information
Both Hong Kong’s authorities and protestors have faced accusations of deliberately spreading misinformation during the past year. The death of Chow Tsk-lok in 2019 was met with large protests by Hong Kong activists, despite denials of involvement by law enforcement and media outlets. Rumors that the police were planning on implementing authoritarian measures were denied, but violent clashes between protestors and law enforcement continued. By this time it has become clear that neither side has a shred of trust left for the other.
On multiple occasions Twitter has been forced to take down tens of thousands of accounts which they claimed were conducting a “manipulative and coordinated” attempt to promote misinformation around Hong Kong and Taiwan to the benefit of the PRC. Taiwan has also long been a source of contention between the international community and China, who does not recognize the independence of Taiwan. However, that is a story for another time.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, there are few signs that the conflict in Hong Kong will stop anytime soon. Many activists are determined to rid the country of Beijing’s overbearing influence, and Hong Kong’s authorities are hell-bent on putting down the destructive protests. The “One country, two systems” policy which determined Hong Kong’s political relationship to China in 1997 is set to expire in 2047. Hong Kong will have experienced a transitional period, and is slated to return to the Chinese fold. As things stand right now, it is hard to imagine Hong Kong becoming fully Chinese without a fight.
As always, we at Misbar urge you to read up on this deeply complex issue on your own, as it warrants your time and attention.
