Kallie Horton

INST 200-801

News Analysis Essay

Democracy and Hong Kong...Until 2047?

Citizens of Hong Kong began protesting after the Extradition Bill was introduced in April

2019. This bill would have allowed for the extradition of Hong Kong criminal suspects to

mainland China. Protests have proven to be very effective for citizens of Hong Kong to have this

bill withdrawn, but how long will it last? Hong Kong’s Basic Law has been extended and set to

expire in 2047, at which point its status and autonomy is uncertain. The BBC News and New

York Times offer insight to what the future of Hong Kong may look like. For the citizens of

Hong Kong, protesting has been the single greatest weapon they had used and will continue to

use to fight for their freedom.

Hong Kong was a British colony for over 150 years until after a war in 1842 where part

of it was ceded to the UK and China leased the New Territories of it to Britain for 99 years.

When the 99-year lease approached in 1987 the two sides signed a treaty that stated Hong Kong

would return to China in 1997 under the idea of “one country, two systems” (Hughes). This idea

allowed for Hong Kong to have its own legal systems, borders, and rights including freedom of

assembly, speech, and press. The Hong Kong Extradition Bill was recently introduced in May

2019, which would have allowed for the extradition of Hong Kong criminal suspects to China.

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Protests by Hong Kong citizens began in July immediately after, for the withdrawal of the bill on

the grounds that it would expose Hong Kong citizens to unfair trials and violent treatment, as

well as that it would give China too much influence over Hong Kong.

Hong Kong citizens protested not only for the withdrawal of the bill, in which they

succeeded by having it withdrawn in September 2019, but also for their protests to not be seen as

riots, amnesty for arrested protesters, against police brutality, and for the implementation of

complete universal suffrage. The people of Hong Kong’s protest also influenced the election a

few months later in November when a pro-democratic candidate won.

BBC News and New York Times report on the protests in Hong Kong over the past year

and a half. The BBC article begins by looking at the history of Hong Kong to better show how it

has come to be today as well as gives a bit of insight as to what its future might look like.

Because the history of Hong Kong is so intertwined with China, they see China trying to

influence their political society today, specifically by driving out pro-democracy legislators. For

this reason the BBC article claims that Hong Kong is widely thought to be on the “decline”

(Hughes). The BBC article also focuses on the demonstrations and protests that take place

because Hong Kong citizens believe that this is their only way to enforce change since their

liberty in polls is very limited. While the BBC article gives a black and white picture of events in

Hong Kong the New Yort times paints a much more emotional picture of the situation.

Rather than looking at the history of Hong Kong, the New York Times article dives right

into June 2019 when around one million Hong Kong citizens marched for what would come to

be “the start of the semi autonomous Chinese city’s biggest political crisis and the broadest

expression of public anger with Beijing in decades.”, said by the New York Times (Ramzy).

Beginning with peaceful demonstrations started to become much more violent when citizens

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started to clash with the police and more directly influence the legislature by targeting symbols

of authority. Things only got worse when mobs began to attack protesters while the police were

unwilling to protect them. From sit-ins at the airport to police firing live ammunition and tear gas

at protesters, to shooting bows and arrows on university campuses, protestors did not stop or let

up until the Extradition bill was withdrawn. The bill was withdrawn a few months later in

September and a month after that a pro-democractic candidate won the election. The Times

article goes on to explain the slowing of the activity with the increased concern of the Covid -19

pandemic but slowing begging again as Beijing enforced new national security laws and the

proposition of a bill that would ban the disrespect of the Chinese national anthem. The Times

article doesn't mention what Hong Kong may look like in 2047 but it does end it with a hopeful

light regarding how far the citizens of Hong Kong are willing to go in order to keep what little

independence they have and to press further for more.

Although both of these news articles covor the same situation in Hong Kong they are

read differently in terms of emotional connection to the protesters themselves. Both articles do

however remain hopeful that citizens of Hong Kong will prevail again in the face of uncertainty

come 2047. And although it is a long fight, protesting to keep their rights is worth it and possible

to achieve.

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Bibliography

- Allen, Kerry. “Hong Kong Protests: Celebrities, Big Brands and China's Media Game.”

BBC News, BBC, 28 Aug. 2019, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-49428931.

- The Hong Kong Protests Explained in 100 and 500 Words. 28 Nov. 2019,

www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-49317695.

- Hughes, Helier Cheung & Roland. “Why Are There Protests in Hong Kong? All the

Context You Need.” BBC News, BBC, 21 May 2020,

www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-48607723.

- Qin, Amy. “Why Are People Protesting in Hong Kong?” The New York Times, The New

York Times, 27 May 2020,

www.nytimes.com/2020/05/27/world/asia/why-are-hong-kong-protesters.html?action=cli

ck&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article.

- Ramzy, Austin, et al. “Hong Kong Protests, One Year Later.” The New York Times, The

New York Times, 9 June 2020,

www.nytimes.com/2020/06/09/world/asia/hong-kong-protests-one-year-later.html.