Hong Kong, the modern Chinese version of Singapore, is a cosmopolitan city that combines the traditional aspects of China with the more modern aspects of the West. It is both a melting pot of different cultures and a source of great pride for the people of Hong Kong. But, because of the influx of millions of immigrants from the former British colony, Hong Kong has a variety of different cultures, backgrounds and demands. To keep up with these new demands, Hong Kong needs to have a continual influx of new people.
Many Hong Kongers consider the Chinese population to be their main population. However, a true Hong Kong man or woman is usually born and brought up here. A true Hong Kong person speaks Cantonese, not Mandarin. And, unlike mainland China, Hong Kong does not have one Chinese culture, but two: that of the Chinese people and that of the original indigenous Chinese who have been in Hong Kong for so many years. A true Hong Kong person, from the Chinese point of view, should be able to speak Chinese as well as Cantonese and English. However, a person who considers himself to be a Chinese cannot be asked to speak Chinese, or even English, unless he is working in a business where it would be mandatory.
As the largest economy in China, Hong Kong needs people to help run it. On paper, one could say that Hong Kong is like a the American one with a Congress and a Senate. However, with regard to Hong Kong’s demographics, a majority of the legislature and most of the executive officers are Chinese. Thus, if there is to be change, it will have to start from within. This is one reason why there are relatively few protest meetings taking place in Hong Kong, whereas there are large scale protests against China’s policies in every part of the world.
One of the main problems in Hong Kong today is the central government in Beijing. The leadership in Beijing has basically adopted a one-party state strategy, retaining the power and wealth of the Chinese people at the expense of the Hong Kong public. The current chief executive, Li Ka-Shing, has been accused of running a “two-faced” policy towards the issues of independence and basic democracy in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the central government has attempted to block the formation of an independent Hong Kong political party, by banning it from using the Chinese name, “Chinese Nationalist Party,” in its title. In addition to that, during the recent election, three of the five candidates for the position of Chief Executive were Chinese, making it impossible for any Hong Kong political party to muster enough votes to win an election.
The lack of an open dialogue between the central government and the representatives of the Hong Kong public have led to more aggressive moves from the Chinese government. On the one hand, China has consistently manifested its unwillingness to cede power to the Hong Kong people through free elections. On the other hand, China has never demonstrated flexibility in dealing with the demands of the Hong Kong protesters, which include demands for free education and housing, as well as the removal of excessive wealth from the hands of the Chinese citizens. There is no question that these demands are not entirely compatible with Chinese social values, but the Chinese leadership will have to face the reality that if it does not remove these economic injustices, the masses of Hong Kong will push them to do so.
On a positive note, the “Occupy Central” demonstrations are being seen as a milestone in the history of civil disobedience by the Chinese people. In fact, this particular movement has brought together a wide range of participants from all walks of life, including parents with children, students, grandparents, doctors, lawyers, teachers, businessmen, and even Chinese politicians. The future of China and Hong Kong rests on the ability of these diverse groups of individuals to come together to express their views of free education, economic development, and political freedom. It is very clear that Hong Kong will continue to exist as a free and democratic nation, as long as the Chinese government demonstrates flexibility and commitment to the freedoms that the people of Hong Kong have been fighting for over the past three years.