If you’ve been
following the news recently you’ve probably seen headlines regarding growing
tensions among Pro-Democracy protesters and police in Hong Kong. This article
will describe the importance of these protests and how they relate to themes of
spatial power, resistance, and hegemony.
Tensions have been rising since Hong Kong's government introduced the notorious extradition bill on April 3rd allowing criminals in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China. Since the end of British rule in 1997, Hong Kong has been under PRC control but has remained independently managed. When control was being transferred from Britain to China it was agreed that Hong Kong would be given 50 years to acclimate themselves to Chinese rule. Although part of China, citizens of Hong Kong have a distinct language and culture. Now more than anytime since 1997 the percentage of Hong Kong citizens that identify themselves as Chinese rather than Hong Kong citizens is at its lowest point. Given the democratic and neoliberal values present in Hong Kong it's hardly any wonder why citizens would become irate at mainland China’s interference into Hong Kong politics. While the protests are gaining widespread international attention people seem to have very short memories when met with the cold truths of China’s autocratic regime.
Thus it’s
clear that Freedom of Expression as it applies to the spatial power of Chinese
citizens has and is still highly limited. The ability to protest the government
has been restricted since the days of the Tianneman square protests. Hong Kong
remains one of China's last outposts of democratic expression. Despite this,
there’s a nuanced war of culture happening within Hong Kong and its existed for
more than a century. At the time of Hong Kong's conception British areas were
spatially separated and much of the street names in Hong Kong are vestiges of
British imperialism. As time went on the distinct cultural lines that separated
Hong Kong from the British began to evaporate. Today one can see the
manifestations of British rule in Hong Kong through the choice to drive on the
left side of the road whereas mainland China drives on the right. Or the use of
parks for British games like Bowls. Or the existence of British infused
culinary customs such as milk being added into tea. In Cresswell’s “Place: A
Short Introduction” he describes the way in which places become sites of
contestation over which memories to evoke. Citizens of Hong Kong have chosen to
preserve the practices they have made their own.
Nowadays, Chinese nationalism evinces
itself in multitudes of different ways and different locations. The same
Pro-Democracy party that Qin Yongmin was a member of accused the Chinese
government of including nationalistic propaganda within Chinese textbooks. The
textbooks argued, rather subjectively, that two party systems were unideal to
society. Thousands of dollars is used to spread positive Chinese news
coverage in other countries. Furthermore, propaganda is spread in multiple
countries through the use of Confucius Institutes, nonprofits that seek to
disperse information about Chinese language and culture and shed a positive
light on the Chinese government.
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/08/25/pro-democracy-party-slams-biased-hong-kong-textbooks-chinese-history-liberal-studies/
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-44789492
Hi Joey,
ReplyDeleteReading your post, I was reminded of how much more liberal and inviting, aside from the recent protests, Hong Kong is than mainland China. I recalled stories from colleagues about how easy it is to gain passage to Hong Kong. And that their culture is welcoming and comfortable for occidentals. The before protesting images of Hong Kong seem to confirm this. It has always been my opinion that Hong Kong would be a more suitable place to visit than China. That's why I was shocked when my wife told me that female Philippines domestic workers were treated much more harshly in Hong Kong than in China. This idea is ubiquitous amongst Philippines women. Until recently, Philippines domestic workers weren’t legally allowed to reside in mainland China. Even though there are hundreds of thousands of illegal domestic workers in China, many choose the easier route and the possibility of brutal treatment in order to make a better life for their families back home.
Why do I mention this? Because while the freedom loving Western World’s knee jerk reaction is to take the side of Hong Kong in their protest against communist rule, we should be aware that Hong Kong treats foreign domestic workers horribly. Forced to work for less than minimum wage with little or no time off. Beaten and verbally abused by all members of the host family, even the children. Sexual abuse and rape. Domestic workers in Hong Kong endure this abuse for miniscule remittances that are still better than what they can earn in their home countries. I recently, read an article in The Guardian about domestic workers in Hong Kong that upon becoming pregnant by their employers, were forced into homelessness or deported without any support from the fathers (1).
Although, in general, I’m more likely to side with American Democracy, less so with our current administration, over Chinese Communism, I’m skeptical of Hong Kong and any other country Westerners “automatically” side with. I think anyone that values freedom and equality should be skeptical as well because an important measure of a country’s worthiness is how they treat vulnerable people. Not just their mainstream residents.
(1) Women's rights and gender equality
How Hong Kong maids became caught in a ‘humanitarian tsunami’-Katie McQue in Hong Kong
https://amp.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/jul/22/fired-pregnant-hong-kong-maids-deserted-by-employers-homeless-domestic-workers
I'm inclined to agree with you in regards to the quality of life for many of those in Hong Kong being poor. Wages are low and Hong Kong has the most expensive housing market in the world. Which is ultimately the fault of the neoliberal capitalist government's use of property sales as its main avenue to generate tax money (1). Housing is so unaffordable many families are forced to cram into rooms only big enough for their beds and a few shelves to store their material goods (2). If living conditions are bad for residents, working conditions aren’t likely to be better for household workers.
ReplyDeleteThe people of Hong Kong are becoming more and more fed up with the encroachment on free expression, as well as the exploitation of labor. Not to say citizens of mainland China don’t feel the same way they just have less ability to voice those views. I think a simplified way of looking at it would be analogous to a legalistic government with bad regulations, compared to a government with sparse regulations.
1. Here’s why Hong Kong housing is so expensive
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/09/heres-why-hong-kong-housing-is-so-expensive.html
2. My week in Lucky House: Hong Kong’s coffin homes
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/29/hong-kong-coffin-homes-horror-my-week