While the idea of Hong Kong’s independence first surfaced in 2004, it caught attention only in January a year ago after Chief Executive Leung Chun Ying criticised a book by Hong Kong University’s student union.
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Under that principle, confirmed when Hong Kong reverted from Britain to China in 1997, Beijing guaranteed that political and economic systems would not be changed for at least 50 years, while Hong Kong remained an integral part of China. However, they certainly send a powerful indication to Beijing that a significant minority of the Hong Kong population is not satisfied with the “one country two systems” model, as it now stands.
The new parties that were formed following the protests reflected the deep frustration among layers of youth in particular that nothing had changed.
Nonetheless, he is still operating in a panopticon – the rest of the world is watching, particularly when China has just hosted the G20, where it worked hard to send a message to the world that it is a mature and capable global actor.
“If Hong Kong continues to stay in this fever of localism and over-politicization, and won’t calm down to think about its own identity and economy, it would be highly likely that relations between Hong Kong and the mainland will get worse, and they will lose development opportunities in the “Belt and Road” initiative”, Tian noted.
The turnout, while still relatively low at 58 percent, was the highest of any election since 1997, up from 53 percent in 2012. No matter: One of them, 23-year-old Nathan Law, won election.
The Legislative Council election on Sunday, which was billed as the most closely-fought contest in Hong Kong’s history, was marked by several stunning upsets.
Before the vote, pro-Beijing officials in Hong Kong tried to prevent democracy activists from running by forcing all prospective candidates to sign a declaration saying they accept China’s sovereignty and the so-called “one country, two systems” principle. The Basic Law is due to expire in 2047. Several candidates were barred from taking part in the elections this week due to their support for independence. Six candidates were excluded, even though all but one had signed the declaration.
Prof Sung said he expected Beijing to launch a tactical move soon to engage the traditional pan-democrats before they become too cosy with the localists.
Also elected were Yau Wai-Ching and Sixtus “Baggio” Leung of Youngspiration, formed during the 2014 protests on a similar platform to Demosisto.
Speaking after Sunday’s election, Leung declared that his vision was for an independent Hong Kong. “The bomb is in its court”, Michael Chugani, a columnist for the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, wrote this week.
Demosisto, founded earlier this year by teenage protest leader Joshua Wong, is pushing for a referendum on “self-determination” for Hong Kong. They identify as Hong Kongers, not Chinese. In the almost 20 years since the handover, Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement has not only continued to flourish, it has – at key moments – brought enough demonstrators out onto the streets to force Beijing and its puppet government in the territory to back away from further restrictions.
A few long-serving pro-democracy legislators lost their seats in the elections.
The CNH Hong Kong Interbank Offered Rate benchmark (CNH Hibor), set by the city’s Treasury Markets Association (TMA), surged to 5.446 per cent, the highest level since Feb 19.
The legislature to be seated next month is very different from its predecessors.
The Chinese government has responded to the election result with threats.
It is not yet clear what may happen if they go on to advocate independence as an option for Hong Kong in the legislature. However, it is not necessarily more important than territorial integrity; that is, keeping Hong Kong as part of China. It is already under intense pressure from the United States, which is engaged in a diplomatic offensive and military build-up throughout the Asia Pacific aimed against China. The CIA has longstanding connections with Tibetan and Uighur exile communities that are pressing for greater autonomy or independence for Tibet and Xinjiang.
Upon arriving, he was introduced to three men who claimed to work for Beijing.
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In many ways, the combination of Hong Kong with China has been like a marriage between two near-strangers, one of whom was brought to the altar without being asked their opinion, and where the power balance is fatally skewed.
