It’s only been a couple of hours as I am writing this on Saturday morning, since the international news agencies have started reporting that the massive extradition protests in Hong Kong have achieved their initial objective: That of the suspension of the controversial plan to allow extraditions to mainland China. Of course, since the ultimate aim of the protesters was the cancellation of the bill, not its mere suspension, protests are likely to continue.
Hong Kong was a British colony for 156 years until 1997, when it was returned to Chinese sovereignty, on the terms that the territory would be guaranteed the independence of its political and economic systems for 50 years thereafter.
Although China hasn’t officially tried to violate the terms of the handover protocol guaranteeing Hong Kong’s autonomy, a series of moves show that it intends to do so indirectly, thus not violating the letter, but rather, the spirit of the handover agreement.
Things looked very promising back in 1998, with Hong Kong being the first territory administered by China to have multiparty democratic elections. By 2014 however, things had started to change dramatically: China’s new policy of having every candidate of Hong Kong’s leadership approved by a pro-Beijing committee, effectively eroded the quality of Hong Kong’s democracy and triggered a series of 4-month protests, dubbed as “The umbrella movement.”
So it was no surprise that when the Hong Kong government announced the new bill, allowing for criminal extradition requests from authorities in mainland China, Taiwan and Macau – decided on a case-by-case basis by Hong Kong courts, people were outraged.
Many fear the law could be used to target political opponents of the Chinese state.
Opposition activists also cite the alleged use of torture, arbitrary detentions and forced confessions in mainland China.
The memory of the wave of mass emigration between 1987 and 1996, during which over half a million people left the territory in anticipation of the impending transfer of control to China, fearing for the deterioration of their quality of life and the erosion of their civil rights, is still fresh in the memories of many residents. The continuation of policies of gradual suppression of the autonomy of Hong Kong, from the part of mainland China will only ensure the continued unwillingness of the locals to live under full Chinese control when the 50-year transitionary period ends. The possibility of a second wave of mass exodus from Hong Kong, sounds more real than ever.
