Sansad TV Perspective: ‘Hong Kong: China’s Tightening Grip’

In the series Sansad TV Perspective, we bring you an analysis of the discussion featured on the insightful programme ‘Perspective’ on Sansad TV, on various important topics affecting India and also the world. This analysis will help you immensely for the IAS exam, especially the mains exam, where a well-rounded understanding of topics is a prerequisite for writing answers that fetch good marks.

In this article, we feature the discussion on the topic: ‘Hong Kong: China’s Tightening Grip’

Anchor: Vishal Dahiya

Participants:

1. Anil Wadhwa, Former Ambassador
2. Prof. Rajendra Harshe, Foreign Affairs Expert
3. Elisabeth Braw, Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute, Washington DC

Context: 

Hong Kong’s legislative election was held in December 2021 with a massive difference involving the vetting of candidates by national security bodies. Several popular pro-democracy figures were imprisoned and some were absent from the campaign trail. 90 members of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region took oath in January 2022.The election saw a record low voter turnout. Moreover, this year will witness the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China. With the major aim of extending Beijing’s prominence over Hong Kong, China has introduced a series of official initiatives that makes the discussion noteworthy. 

Background

• Hong Kong shoulders a complex history from the status of being a British colony to becoming an integral part of Beijing’s ‘one country, two systems’ policy. 
• The First Opium War broke out after the Qing dynasty of China carried out an illegal opium trade.This resulted in widespread addiction in China.
• In 1842, China agreed to cede the island of Hong Kong to the British in perpetuity through the Treaty of Nanjing. 

Read more about Opium Wars in the linked article.

• For the next half a century the United Kingdom gathered control over three main regions of Hong Kong: Hong Kong island, Kowloon peninsula and the New Territories. 
• The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory of 1898 which was the final treaty, leased the New Territories to Britain for 99 years.
• In accordance with the terms of the treaty, China gained control of the leased portions of Hong Kong on the 1st of July, 1997. 
• Ever since the establishment of control over Hong Kong, China promised to preserve the uniqueness of the region and keep its capitalist systems for fifty years along with the assurance of freedoms in many aspects which are absent even in the mainland China cities. However, as the years succeeded, the promises faded with an emerging trend of Beijing taking active steps to encroach on Hong Kong’s political system.  

The One Country, Two Systems Policy:

• Hong Kong has been demarcated as a Special Administrative Region of the People’s republic of China that has been largely free to manage its own affairs based on the ‘One country, Two systems’ policy.
• This was a national unification policy formulated by the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s.
• The concept was developed to facilitate the integration of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau with sovereign China without disturbing their political and economic systems. 
• Portugal ceded Macau to China in 1999 and Taiwan is still independent. 

The Sino-British Joint Declaration:

• The Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984 dictated the terms under which Hong Kong was returned to China. 
• Hong Kong’s Basic Law acts as the constitutional document determining the city’s capitalist system and way of life and grants a high degree of autonomy that includes legislative, executive and judicial (independent) powers for fifty years (2047). 

Recent Developments: 

• In 2020, Beijing passed a controversial national security law and arrested dozens of pro-democracy activists and lawmakers weakening the hopes of transforming Hong Kong into a fully functioning democracy. 
• Beijing never leaves an opportunity to exert significant influence through their loyalists who dominate the region’s political sphere. 
• Hong Kong’s Basic Law is interpreted by Beijing and the changes to political processes have to be approved by the government of Hong Kong and China’s top legislative body, the National People’s Congress or its standing committee. 
• Michael C. Davis titled his book “Making China Hong Kong” reflecting China’s enhanced control over the region. 

The Umbrella Movement:

• In 2003, the Hong Kong government proposed the national security legislation that intended to prohibit treason, secession, sedition and subversion against the Chinese government. 
• In 2012, an attempt was made to amend the Hong Kong Schools’ curricula to increase Chinese National identities and it was perceived by the residents as Chinese propaganda. 
• Beijing put forth a framework for universal suffrage allowing the Hong Kongers to vote for the city’s chief executive. The elected candidates will be only from the list of candidates that have been approved by Beijing. 
• Consequently, protests flourished involving mass rallies popularly known as the Umbrella Movement which aimed at true democracy in Hong Kong.
• Hong Kong experienced its largest protest in 2019 when Beijing introduced a legislative proposal that allowed extraditions to mainland China and it spread a sense that Beijing was attempting to degrade the freedom of Hong Kong. 

Challenges for Hong Kong: 

• Prosecution of protest leaders and activists by Beijing’s authoritarian laws.
• Expelling several new legislators.
• Increased media censorship.
• Adoption of broad definitions of crimes like terrorism, secession, subversion which may result in the misuse of laws and curb freedom of expression.
• Interference in the education system of Hong Kong.
• Beijing’s actions will jeopardize the role of Hong Kong as a global financial hub as it is one of the world’s most attractive markets and a historic gateway to do business with the mainland. 

Take of the International Community:

• The international community has condemned Beijing’s action and interference with the political and economic systems of Hong Kong. 
• The imposition of sanctions by the US on China has been a topical context which has established a new trend in the entire realm of geopolitics. 
• The Trump administration had also imposed sanctions on Chinese officials who were alleged to undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy and restricted defense exports revoking Hong Kong’s special trade status. 
• The US has collaborated with Australia, Canada and New Zealand that suspended the extradition treaty with Hong Kong because of the National Security Law. 
• Joe Biden has shown active support towards protecting the freedom of Hong Kong and conveyed his concerns over Beijing’s crackdown on his first phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
• The United Kingdom conveyed that it will allow 3 million Hong Kong residents to settle in the country and apply for citizenship. 
• Canada extended support to the youth of Hong Kong who aspired to study and work in the country.
• The European Union expressed deep concerns over Beijing’s rising control over Hong Kong in the wake of which it agreed to ease out visa and asylum policies for the residents of Hong Kong. 
• The EU also condemned the recently held election for the legislative council of Hong Kong.

 The shape of the future with China’s tightening grip:

• The internal disturbances in China can offer a platform of opportunity for India to attract more investors from the international community as there is a signal conveyed by the developed economies of the world which is against China’s aggressive policies and its attempts to weaken the lucrative business environment offered by Hong Kong. India has a broader avenue to work on and strategize its international trade which may result in a massive boost to our economic growth. 
• This is the time wherein India can embolden its defense and maritime partnerships with the international communities to secure its borders and the oceanic space that are continuously under the threat of China’s expansionist policies. 
• There must be diplomatic channels open between China and the international communities to convey the major concerns over Beijing’s growing autocracy over Hong Kong. However, this will be a time consuming process to convince China to reclaim alignment with the actual norms of democracy that will ease out the International Trade that values Hong Kong as a major hub.
• Experts recommend more clarity on free trade policies and its extent in Hong Kong that need a legislative intervention.
• Therefore, as a result of a profound discussion it is evident that China’s policies are going to bring tough times for Hong Kong and the grip would be tightened further in the upcoming days given that it enjoys a strong support from the Beijing backed group of leaders.

Read more summaries of Perspective in the link.

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