Xi Jinping will visit Hong Kong for the first time in five years, stressing that ‘Hong Kong is Chinese territory’
On the 1st of next month, Hong Kong will mark the 25th anniversary of being freed from British colonization and returned to China’s arms.
As Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend a ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the return of Hong Kong sovereignty, attention is focused on the fate of China’s 50-year promise of one country, two systems (one country, two systems) to Hong Kong.
Experts believe that the guarantee of one country, two systems will determine whether Hong Kong will continue its status as an international financial hub or become a small city in China.
◇ Xi Jinping “One country, two systems will not change” vs. West “one country, two systems is collapsing”
In the 1984 British-China Joint Declaration (Hong Kong Return Agreement), the UK and China agreed to a one country, two system agreement to maintain the existing system with a high degree of autonomy for 50 years until 2047 after Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997.
Xi said to Hong Kong Chief Executive-elect John Lee who visited Beijing last month that “one country, two systems” has been successfully implemented over the past 25 years and that “the central government’s determination to implement this principle comprehensively and accurately has never wavered and will not change in the future.”
However, civil society in Hong Kong and the West believe that the one country, two systems have already collapsed.
Critics criticize Hong Kong’s rapid development of China and undermining the ‘high degree of autonomy’.
Although it is still distinct from mainland China in areas such as finance, accounting, law, education, tax, and prison administration, it is pointed out that China’s influence is gradually growing in these areas as well.
The democratic camp and civil society, which had grown decisively politically and socially, collapsed after the enforcement of the Hong Kong National Security Law, and as the media criticizing China closed their doors one after another under the pressure of the authorities, Hong Kong is no longer what it used to be. not.
In addition, China has been emphasizing ‘full sovereignty’ over Hong Kong this year.
However, the Global Times affiliated with the People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of China, said on the 30th, “Experts regard the so-called ‘betrayal of one country, two systems’, which refers to the erosion of Hong Kong’s democracy and a grim future (as claimed by the West), as malicious hype. It came only after undermining this Hong Kong system and failing to prevent the city from moving towards a bright future.”
◇ China spurs control of Hong Kong after anti-government protests in 2019
Hong Kong’s sudden change came after the massive anti-government protests that lasted more than half a year in 2019.
As the protests that started against the extradition bill expanded into anti-government protests demanding direct system, etc., and up to 2 million people joined, the Chinese government was startled and started taking care of Hong Kong.
In June 2020, the Hong Kong National Security Law was enacted, and last year, Hong Kong’s electoral system was completely overhauled, allowing only ‘patriots’ to enter public office, attracting opposition parties one after another.
People began to shut their mouths, and fear of arrest prompted many politicians and social activists to flee to Britain and other places.
As John Lee, who vigorously suppressed anti-government protests as the security secretary in 2019 amid pointing out that the ‘Public Security Bureau’ has begun, inaugurated as the 6th Chief Executive on the 1st of next month, there are also observations that Hong Kong will become a ‘police state’.
In this situation, China is urging the Hong Kong government to enact a Hong Kong version of the National Security Law, separate from the Hong Kong National Security Law that it enacted.
The Hong Kong National Security Law provides for up to life imprisonment for four crimes: division of the state, overthrow of the state government, terrorist activity, and collusion with foreign powers.
However, the Chinese government is pushing for Hong Kong to enact a separate national security law that complements the Hong Kong National Security Law and to cover other crimes not included in the laws they made.
The representative change of scenery is the public voice of the Chinese government’s liaison office in Hong Kong (central edition) and the Hong Kong and Macao Office of the State Council of China, which remained in the shadows for more than 20 years and did not reveal their presence.
They began to ‘instruct’ the Hong Kong administration to solve the housing problem.
As the Chinese government emphasizes the strengthening of Putonghua (Mandarin, Chinese standard language) education in Hong Kong, there is also a forecast that English will be pushed out of Hong Kong, an international city, and more people will use Putonghua.
Hong Kongers speak Cantonese (Cantonese).
The writing system is also traditional Chinese, not simplified Chinese.
There are many people who express their objection when Putonghua appears on TV or when shop signs are written in Simplified Chinese.
However, as foreign financial talents are leaving one after another, tired of the ‘zero corona’ policy that has been going on for more than two years, more and more people from mainland China are migrating.
◇ Hong Kong’s dependence on China is growing… “May be absorbed as part of the propaganda”
In February, a vegetable and raw pork scandal broke out in Hong Kong.
This is due to the fact that food, which should be brought in from Shenzhen every day, has not arrived for a few days as the gate linking Shenzhen and Hong Kong has been closed due to COVID-19.
The cosmopolitan city of Hong Kong has originally boasted a wide variety of food options throughout the year.
However, the vegetable crisis is a prime example of how much Hong Kong’s dependence on China has grown since the return of sovereignty in 1997.
Hong Kong-China trade volume, which was worth US$1.4 trillion in 1996, jumped to US$5.38 trillion last year, more than half of Hong Kong’s total trade.
Hong Kong now relies on China for most of its livelihoods, including food and water.
China is emphasizing the development of the Yuegangao Great Bay Area.
It is a project to create a mega economic zone that connects Hong Kong and Macau with nine major cities in Guangdong Province, including Shenzhen.
At first, expectations were high that Hong Kong would be able to take another step forward through Yuegangao Taizhou District.
But recently, there is also a prospect that Hong Kong could be absorbed by Shenzhen.
The interpretation is that China is not pushing Hong Kong, but is using Hong Kong for development on the Chinese side, such as Shenzhen.
Experts observe that Hong Kong’s future is bleak unless foreigners can freely move in and out, English is spoken, and other social, economic, and cultural systems from mainland China are not maintained.
It is pointed out that Hong Kong could become a small city in China if the current situation is not improved as more people are leaving Hong Kong than when sovereignty was returned in 1997 due to the Hong Kong National Security Act, and the ‘zero corona’ policy leads to exodus of foreigners.
◇ Xi Jinping’s commemorative ceremony for the return of sovereignty seems to emphasize ‘Hong Kong is Chinese territory’
Under these circumstances, it is very symbolic for President Xi to attend the 25th anniversary of the return of Hong Kong sovereignty.
This is the first time outside the mainland since January 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began in earnest, and the first time stepping on Hong Kong soil since the anti-government protests in 2019.
Meanwhile, the conflict between China and the United States has soared to the climax, and criticism of China from other Western countries, including Europe, is also growing stronger.
The West condemns China’s suppression of democracy in Hong Kong, while China opposes the West’s interference in internal affairs.
It is predicted that Xi will emphasize that this is China’s land in Hong Kong, which he will be visiting for the first time in five years since 2017, and claim that Hong Kong is prosperous after sovereignty is returned to China from Britain.
Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan arrived in Hong Kong on the afternoon of the 30th by high-speed train, visited the Hong Kong Science Park, returned to Shenzhen, China to stay, and the next day, they boarded the high-speed train again to attend the 25th anniversary of the return of Hong Kong. are doing
/yunhap news