The Hong Kong Crisis

(Analysis)

SOCIO 101
(9:30 - 10:30 A.M.)

Submitted by:
Jason Hortelano
Zeneth Jumao-as
Mc Evans Herana
Nieva Marie Estenzo
Kathleen Jade Pospos
Chenny Marie Cantano

Submitted to:
Sir Emmanuel B. Elnar
A. British - China - Hong Kong Timeline (Historical Background)

- The recent public protest of the people in Hong Kong which have gathered two million
protesters is an evolution to the protest method of way back in the year 1960s where the British
colonial rules Hong Kong which resulted to a bloody riot.

In this year (2019), in stark contrast to the usually peaceful demonstrations held to coincide
with the July 1 anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China, a separate
group of activists stormed the Legislative Council parliament building. In there, they trashed the
chambers in protest over an extradition bill which they feared would make people in Hong
Kong subject to China’s legal system.

Prior to this, Hong Kong protests captured the world’s imagination with viral videos of students
blockading roads in Admiralty district while doing their homework during the pro-democracy
‘umbrella movement’ in 2014, and, more recently, a video of demonstrators parting like the Red
Sea to let an ambulance pass.

Large-scale protests have been held on July 1 every year since 2003. The anniversary of the
handover has become an annual opportunity to vent disaffection with the government and call
for increased democracy and other political causes. So far, this year was the largest and
involved atypical scenes of chaos and vandalism.

The Public Order Ordinance, which regulates public meetings and processions, was first
enacted in 1967 to crack down on the leftist riots against British colonial rule. It outlawed any
gatherings of three or more people without police permission.

In 1995, it became much more liberal following the enactment of the Bill of Rights Ordinance,
based on the United Nations' International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Since 1997, public gatherings of more than 50 people or processions with more than 30
protesters have to tell police seven days in advance and receive a "notice of no objection".

The catalyst for the current protests was the Hong Kong government’s decision to amend the
current Fugitive Offenders Ordinance on the pretext of the ongoing Chan Tong-kai case. Chan
is accused of murdering his girlfriend in Taipei but cannot be extradited to stand trial in Taiwan
because the law does not allow Hong Kong to transfer fugitives to mainland China and Taiwan.

On this year's 16th of June, there were up to two million citizens went to the streets to protest
against the amendment bill, which they believe would destroy the firewall between Hong Kong
and the mainland, where fair trials are not guaranteed. Opponents range from pan-democrats,
lawyers and businessmen to major foreign countries such as the United States and Britain.
Critics argue that Hongkongers, or visitors in the city, could be victimized for political reasons,
or be prosecuted for crimes committed inadvertently.

In response to the massive demonstrations on this year's June 9 and 16, the Hong Kong
government suspended the extradition bill with no time frame for its reintroduction but
maintains the legislation's intention to plug the legal loopholes is still valid.

Sources: https://multimedia.scmp.com/infographics/news/hong-kong/article/3016815/hong-
kong-protest-city/index.html

B. The Extradition Bill

- The 2019 Hong Kong extradition bill protests are a series of demonstrations in Hong
Kong and solidarity protest in other cities which mainly began when a Hong Kong man
allegedly murdered his girlfriend while having a holiday in Taiwan, wherein he returned to his
mainland last year. The issue being addressed is that the Taiwanese officials asked assistance
from Hong Kong authorities to extradite the citizen, so he will properly receive the
consequences of his actions, however Hong Kong officials refused such aid due to the lack of
extradition agreement with Taiwan.

The Extradition Bill is controversial for people would be subject to arbitrary detention,
unfair trial and torture under China's judicial system. The proposed changes will put the Hong
Kong citizens at risk, because no one will no longer be safe. Which will in turn jeopardize the
city's judicial independence.

Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-47810723?

C. Protesters' GRIEVANCE and DEMANDS

- The protesters in Hong Kong started accumulating grievances after a controversial bill that
would enable China to extradite fugitives from the city and allow them to transfer to China. It
started relatively small and peaceful. However, it eventually grew after police brutality was
accused to the Hong Kong police. The people are no longer just seeking for the eradication of
the bill but also for democracy. They stated that they have five core demands against the Hong
Kong leaders. These are withdrawing the bill, leader Carrie Lam to step down, inquiry into
police brutality, those who have been arrested to be released, and greater democratic freedoms̶.

Sources: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/08/13/asia/hong-kong-airport-protest-explained-hnk-
intl/index.html?
D. Composition of the Protest Movement

- There is no single leader or group deciding on or steering the strategy, tactics and goals of
the movement. Instead, protesters have used forums and messaging apps to decide next steps.
Protesters try to be “like water”: shapeless, formless, able to “drip” and also to “crash.” A
protest movement, not a political movement. “Like water” works by coordinating people
without a central leader or organization, a so-called open-source protest movement. Unlike
groups led from the top down, which allow authorities to track, monitor, and control protesters
through their leaders, “like water” uses online communication tools. Those require an initiator
but not a leader. Everyone decides what to do through online voting systems where anyone can
post their ideas and members show their support by up- or down-voting the schemes.
Leadership can be transferred, proposal by proposal, to whomever gets the most votes. “Like
water” is not only leaderless, it also speaks to different audiences using different symbols.
Above all, they are a nativist movement. As the protesters say, “If you’re from Hong Kong,
save it yourself.” Bulletin boards, posters, chat rooms, and banners use Hong Kong-
specific Cantonese, often only comprehensible to locals despite using Chinese characters.
(Many of these characters were created by Hong Kong local newspapers to represent
words previously only used in speech.) And there is a distinct aesthetic. When on the
move, protesters all wear the same color, painting subway cars black in the matter of
seconds. To go home, they all change into different clothes: Large bags of other clothing
are distributed and left by subway toilets for protesters to meld back in with commuters.
Large, brightly colored walls of sticky notes and scribbles supporting the protesters greet
you when leaving transport hubs.

Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/02/world/asia/hong-kong-protest-explained.html?

https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/09/05/the-hong-kong-government-is-as-leaderless-as-the-
protesters/

E. The Hong Kong Government

 Its stand on the grievance and demand

- Various protests are circling around the Hong Kong territory because of the massive
damage the changes in the extradition bill has brought. While protesters are gathering and
throwing bombs towards the police. In return the police grew more ruthless and did extra
efforts to pin down those people taking part of the riot by dressing as protesters in order
to get close to them. The Hong Kong government responds to many demands by the
citizens who feared for China's opaque judicial systems. The aim, he said, was “to calm
down the movement’s moderates” and “weaken and isolate the radicals.” However, it is
 still unclear whether the response will be enough to stop the chaotic movement that is
happening in the country. The Hong Kong people grieves for their rights and the future of
their beloved home, their mainland if such bill would be of success. Moreover, their
leader Lam did not concede with the other four demands, as mentioned earlier, just the
withdrawal of the bill.

Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/04/world/asia/hong-kong-carrie-lam-protests.html?

 Its support sectors / groups

- As the Hong Kong government have been hit by protests, some people or groups are
still on their back. Number of tycoons and business leaders publicly supported them for
the past weeks. Safeguard Hong Kong Alliance is also with them. Some have joined in
marching to save Hong Kong any further violence.

Sources: https://amp.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3023258/tycoons-join-tens-
thousands-support-hong-kong-government?

F. Economic and Financial Losses during protest

- Hong Kong is one of the world's most important trade in business. However, in its
continuing anti-government protest, the mass have been greatly affected. Airports are cancelling
flights that prevented people from going in and out of the country. The decrease in tourist
arrivals lead to the closure of some stores, among them are luxury brands such as Richemont
and Swatch Group. Retail sales of business is decreasing by 20% to 30%. Exceeding $600
billion if stock market value have also been erased. If this would continue for the next weeks,
months, or for a longer time, the country would experience great recession.

Sources: https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKCN1VG007?

G. Some Issues

 Massive arrest
- These issues was brought up during Friday after wide - spread news was scattered all
across the internet that the police is currently having mass arrests to the protesters in
Hong Kong. However, police immediately denied the issue and said that they are not
arresting people because of what they are fighting for instead they are talking and hearing
 the side of the protesters to achieve peaceful agreement. Still, articles and reports shows
that they massive arrest was made, and as the police defended that they are now taking a
harsher approach for the past lenient approach didn’t deter people from breaking the law.
In additional, age did not matter during the arrest and whoever breaks the law shall accept
liability.

Sources: https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2019/08/hong-kong-police-arrest-prominent-
activists-mass-rally-190830072954586.html?

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3025412/mass-arrests-hong-kong-
protesters-police-could-backfire

 Police brutality

- These issues emerged after a female protester was injured in the eye during clashes with
police who were trying to disperse crowds, protesters at the airport wore eye patches in
reference to the woman's injury. The protesters were enraged about what happened and
accusing the Hong Kong police of brutality. Moreover, recent evidences was provided
online when the police launched tear gas from tall buildings onto crowds below,
projectiles aimed at protesters and journalists, pepper balls fired at close range, and tear
gas canisters fired into crowded, enclosed spaces.

Sources: https://amp.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3024489/investigate-hong-kong-
polices-use-force-against-protesters-or-risk?

 Rule of law

- The massive protests in Hong Kong forced its government to permanently suspend the
bill called, "The Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters
Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019". This bill was introduced by the Hong Kong
government to allow extradition between Hong Kong and Taiwan. All laws in Hong
Kong are passed by the Legislative Council and approved by the Chief Executive of
Hong Kong. However, these government sectors were highly influenced by Chinese
control even though Hong Kong is under a democratic governance. In short, democracy
was still out of reach from their people and their government.

Sources: https://www.livelaw.in/foreign-international/breaking-down-the-hong-kong-crisis-a-
fight-for-rule-of-law-147310
  Foreign Participation (US - British - Western Allies)
- The United States becomes more vocal over the Hong Kong protests. The introduction
of the "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act" is a proposed bill for which it
allows the US government to afford Hong Kong privileges in economic and trade
matters, separate from China. There is no guarantee that existing ideological solidarity
between the US government and protesters will remain forever. The language of the Act
can be amended to fit the agenda of the current issue only.
Asking the US to enact this legislation because it could possibly help at the moment but
does not restore sovereignty to Hong Kong, just merely transferring it elsewhere. It is for
these reasons they should not call for this kind of direct action from Washington.
Direct intervention from Western countries opens the door for Hong Kong politics to be
dictated by a foreign power and it is what a country wants to avoid since the people from
a certain country would always want to have their native governing power to rule them.
As a matter of principle, it is imperative that only those who will be impacted by Hong
Kong policies should have a say in the city’s governance.

Sources: https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/09/08/thanks-yanks-no-thanks-us-intervention-
hong-kongs-crisis-may-protesters-bargained/

H. On the basis of data, answer the following questions:

1. Which group/s in the conflict constitute the (a) GLOBALISTS? (b) ANTI-
GLOBALISTS? and why?

 For us, the protesters and their supporters are the GLOBALISTS, while the government
and its supporters are the ANTI-GLOBALISTS. This is because the government, instead
of supporting its people and allowing democracy to flow throughout the country and
towards other nations, they are oppressive and restrictive to the outright protest in their
administration and the existing actions they made. Their actions resulted to
prohibitions/restrictions on the goods/services and even towards their own people ̶ a
clear manifestation of believing of anti-globalism. In terms of the protesters, they stand
on globalism, for they strongly believe that they deserve a democratic government and
freedom ̶ even showing a globalist approach in achieving their agendas and goals
wherein they connect with people all around the world through the net and being “like
water”.
2. Which group/sector is winning? Globalists or anti-globalists? Why?

 The issue is not about winning, protesters can only protest and make actions against the
government because the decision as to whether their objectives are met depends on the
government which is still tied down to the mainland and refused to concede with them.
Moreover, there is still unclear evidence, as what has been gathered as of today, as to
what will and might happen on the group/sector in the issue ̶ whether its winning or not.
As to our perspective on the matter, GLOBALISTS have established clearly what they
wanted while ANTI-GLOBALISTS are still dependent on the other towards what must
be done to its people. In line with that, GLOBALISTS have gained our winning votes,
and we wish for the best on their goals. We, same as the protesters, stand on
GLOBALISM and believes in democracy not just in papers but effective on its system
and administration.

3. Where is the conflict leading if left unresolved?

 Based on the readings and data gathered, the conflict even if resolved/unresolved lies on
the hands of the leader of their government and as to whether they will depend, which
they still do, on the mainland rulings and laws are of their choice. Indeed, the conflict is
still unresolved even at this moment, and will continue to persist, as the protest
movement is not weakening but getting stronger and braver/bolder, if no clear resolution
will be made as soon as possible.