What Happened to Hong Kong?
The world watched the streets of Hong Kong in 2019, as protests against a controversial extradition bill spiraled into protests against the city’s government and the Chinese Communist Party. For months, riots, vandalism, and violence filled the city. But what happened to Hong Kong?
A Brief History of Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a former British colony located on China’s south-eastern coast. The Asian city was ceded to the UK as part of the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, and under British rule, became an important entrepot trade port and financial hub. In 1997, Hong Kong officially reverted back to Chinese control after over 150 years of British rule, becoming the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or HKSAR, of the People’s Republic of China.
Political Unrest and the Extradition Bill
In 2019, headlines were dominated by months of turmoil in the city. Political tensions began to rise after the Chinese government proposed changes to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, better known as the extradition bill. This controversial legislation would have allowed the Hong Kong government to extradite wanted individuals to other countries and would have allowed extraditions to mainland China.
Protests Against the Extradition Bill
Protests against the extradition bill began in earnest in spring of 2019, when an estimated one million people took to the streets in opposition to the proposed legislation. In June, an estimated two million people demonstrated in the largest protests since Hong Kong’s return to Chinese control in 1997. The protests were a mix of peaceful protests, vandalism, and rioting, which included frequent clashes between protesters and the police.
Crackdown on the Protests
The Chinese government cracked down on the protesters, and on October 1, took the unprecedented step of banning the wearing of masks at public gatherings, invoking Emergency Regulations Ordinance, which allows the government sweeping powers in times of crisis. The ban effectively made it impossible for protesters to hide their identity.
Growing Political and Social Conflict
Although the protests began as demonstrations against the extradition bill, they quickly evolved into a broader political movement against alleged human rights abuses by the Chinese government. Public opinion in Hong Kong shifted quickly, becoming increasingly pro-democracy. As the conflict between protesters and the government deepened, so did the violence, with some members of the police force engaging in brutal tactics to quell the unrest.
Impact on Hong Kong’s Economy
The impact of the unrest on Hong Kong’s economy was both immediate and long-term. The tourism industry, which relies heavily on mainland Chinese visitors, was hardest hit. Tens of thousands of jobs were lost, and the city’s stock market, already battered by the U.S.-China trade war, suffered a decline in value.
The Impact on Everyday Life
The political unrest had a direct impact on everyday life in Hong Kong. Protesters, who were routinely targeted by authorities, were afraid to leave their homes. Businesses suffered losses as people chose to stay away, while flights and public transportation became a target for disruption. In the months leading up to the protests, many foreign businesses, such as HSBC and Goldman Sachs, made the decision to scale back their operations in the city due to the ongoing strife.
China’s National Security Law
The Chinese government responded to the unrest by imposing a new national security law in June 2020. The sweeping law eliminated any representation of Hong Kong’s autonomy and gave Beijing the authority to interfere with the entity’s domestic and economic policies. Under the law, Beijing can punish anyone deemed to have supported or participated in acts of secession, foreign interference, terrorism, or subversion.
Tensions Remain
The Chinese government’s hardline approach to the Hong Kong protests has caused tensions to remain high. In the wake of the security law, some activists have been arrested, and pro-democracy politicians have been removed from office or disqualified from running in elections. Meanwhile, anti-China sentiment continues to grow among the population.
At the time of writing, tensions in Hong Kong remain high, with protesters and the government locked in a stalemate that shows no sign of ending soon. Despite the difficult situation, the protesters remain unbowed, determined to seek the rights and civil liberties promised to them after the city’s return to Chinese control. But what happened to Hong Kong? The answer is that it has become a political battleground for the rights of its citizens, a battleground in which the future of the city hangs in the balance.
