Why Hong Kong Matters: More Than Politics at Stake

[sochi2014]

When we lived in Shenzhen, an industrial megacity in mainland China, my husband and I would occasionally visit Hong Kong on the weekends. Entering the former British colony was always a shock to my system. Unlike Shenzhen, Hong Kong was full of signs in English and people speaking Cantonese, the dialect of my childhood. All around were foreigners, British-style double-decker buses, and plenty of familiar brands and stores.
But what captivated me most about Hong Kong was its people. Physically, they looked similar to the professional classes on Shenzhen—same hair styles, petite frames, wardrobe choices. But their faces were completely different. When Hong Kongers talked, their faces became much more animated. When they smiled, you could see their teeth. Sometimes I would just observe people as I wandered down the crowded, narrow streets. And as I watched, I felt the heaviness of mainland China begin to lift. In Hong Kong, the spirits of the people were alive.
For the past two weeks, those narrow streets of Hong Kong have been teeming with crowds of a different sort: students and professionals, workers and activists, all protesting the recent proclamation that Hong Kong’s next top leader would be elected from a slate of Beijing-approved candidates. The protesters see this as an underhanded strategy of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to gain greater control over the Westernized territory.
When the United Kingdom returned Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China in 1997, the conditions of the handover were clear: Hong Kong would retain its current way of life—including all its freedoms, civil society, economic and political systems—for 50 years.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time the CCP has attempted to encroach upon the autonomy they had promised. Since the handover, journalists in Hong Kong have been censored; publishers have been harassed; activists have been closely monitored and intimidated. A couple years ago, Chinese authorities proposed incorporating “patriotic education” into Hong Kong schools, until successful student protests forced them to backtrack.
In recent years, the headlines we’ve seen from mainland China have been primarily about the country’s explosive economic growth, one that has raised an astonishing 600 million people out of poverty since 1981. When I lived in Shenzhen, I experienced a society that had everything—and nothing. The gleaming malls were brimming with the latest fashions; the highways were packed with cars; the city buzzed with karaoke bars, massage parlors, and nightclubs. Rural migrants flowed in from every corner of the country looking for jobs, while educated professionals earned salaries their parents could only dream of. But everywhere I looked, I saw emptiness.
Since the brutal suppression of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, there have been only two state-sanctioned forms of expression allowed in China: hyper-nationalism, to the point of rampant xenophobia, and the headlong pursuit of wealth. The harsh punishments meted out to those who dare oppose or even question the CCP—executions, imprisonment and torture, years-long intimidation campaigns, constant surveillance—have deterred many in China from standing up for themselves. They have, understandably, chosen the safer route, which has cultivated a society obsessed with all things self: self-image, self-sufficiency, self-provision, self-protection, self-preservation. Any experiences of community, empathy, trust, and morality have been driven underground.
As a result, the day-to-day existence of the modern urban Chinese is one of constant battle: fighting for a place in line, jostling to get on the subway, competing for a better job, struggling just to be noticed and valued as an individual in a highly conformist society.
In Shenzhen, many of the Chinese Nationals I met were doing very well economically, but they were dogged by feelings of loneliness, confusion, depression, and the nagging sense that their lives had no meaning. They were among the saddest individuals I have encountered in any part of the world, a people broken, hurting, and insecure. They had no voice, no sense of self-worth, no higher purpose, and no hope. Their lives had become only about survival—economically, politically, and socially—which is really no life at all.
The current debate in Hong Kong over who gets to select the candidates for chief executive may seem like a triviality, but it’s not. The protesters correctly see the slippery slope Beijing wants to nudge them down. It’s not about politics; it’s about the empowerment and dignity of 7.2 million people. It’s about the right to think for oneself and laugh freely; to speak truth and pursue treasures worth far more than the riches of this world; to believe in God and the goodness of others.
After less than two years, I left Shenzhen because living in such a miserable place had broken me too. Even with my own firm conviction that Jesus was with me in every daily battle, I did not have enough resilience to stand in a society that is all about keeping people down. It was only after we moved to Hong Kong that I learned how to laugh and trust others again. Only there, in a city where debate is welcome, where kindnesses are regularly extended to strangers, where the power of choice exists, could I remember that life is about so much more than survival.
Nobody knows what will happen in 2047, when the 50-year agreement to preserve Hong Kong’s civil liberties ends. But for now, we have the Hong Kong of today. So each day during these protests I pray earnestly for the people of Hong Kong, for courage and perseverance. I pray that God will change the hearts of the Communist leaders. I pray that, together, they will find a peaceful way forward to preserve the freedom and dignity that defines Hong Kong, and I pray that our brothers and sisters in mainland China may one day be able to experience that too.
Dorcas Cheng-Tozun is a writer, blogger, and editor who has found healing and hope through words. Previously she worked as a nonprofit and social enterprise professional in the U.S. and Asia, living in mainland China and Hong Kong from 2008 to 2011. She currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and adorable hapa son. You can find her online at www.chengtozun.com or on Twitter @dorcas_ct.

 

[Sinkie]

In a single sentence, this blogger just want to be a m&d.

 

[frenchbriefs]

when the author talks about shen zhen,what he actually means is Singapore.

"When I lived in Shenzhen, I experienced a society that had everything—and nothing. The gleaming malls were brimming with the latest fashions; the highways were packed with cars; the city buzzed with karaoke bars, massage parlors, and nightclubs. Rural migrants flowed in from every corner of the country looking for jobs, while educated professionals earned salaries their parents could only dream of. But everywhere I looked, I saw emptiness.
Since the brutal suppression of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, there have been only two state-sanctioned forms of expression allowed in China: hyper-nationalism, to the point of rampant xenophobia, and the headlong pursuit of wealth. The harsh punishments meted out to those who dare oppose or even question the CCP—executions, imprisonment and torture, years-long intimidation campaigns, constant surveillance—have deterred many in China from standing up for themselves. "

 

[Sideswipe]

Beijing cannot give Hongkong their democracy. Beijing fears Hongkong becoming the beacon of Chinese democracy. what if every Chinese province wants to follow Hongkong's example and elects its own leaders. it's regrettable that the "one country, two systems" is a democratic farce and doomed to failure. Hongkong people will never have their desired democracy.

 

[Sinkie]

Beijing cannot give Hongkong their democracy. Beijing fears Hongkong becoming the beacon of Chinese democracy. what if every Chinese province wants to follow Hongkong's example and elects its own leaders. it's regrettable that the "one country, two systems" is a democratic farce and doomed to failure. Hongkong people will never have their desired democracy.

Hong Kong was never a democracy, for 150 years during British rule, it never gets to choose its governor.
Hong Kong is also not a sovereign country. It is even less of one than Taiwan. Even Taiwan's President dare not talk about 'independence' In fact, Taiwan is a Japanese colony for many years before the Kuomintang took control during the aftermath of WW2.

Why don't Taiwan declare it was a Japanese colony and wish to split with China and join with Japan? It can't, because the Kuomingtang thinks of itself as the rightful ruler of China, but this is pure delusional, because nobody recognizes Taiwan as a sovereign country, that's why it cannot call itself China but Chinese Taipei.

In a matter of the next 50 years, Japan will become a province of China, not that China give a fucking shit to Japan. With its population ageing, in 10 years time, 40% of these shorties will be over 65 years old. Japan is dying. Can you imagine millions of these bastards becoming senile and can barely walk?

That's why in this whole HKG Occupy Central nonsense, Japan has been silent. Only the stupid Pinoyland makes noise like the UK and USA. These clowns do not know their own place. We're dealing with a civilization, not a nation. USA's history of a mere 200 over years, which is just about the usual length of just one dynasty in China's history. And it does not even have a race to call its own. The DNA markers are vague and diverse, whereas the Chinese has distinctive DNA markers and we usually accept that 92% of Chinese are of Han descent, whether you like it or not, the rest of the world will still call you ching chong chang. So wise up and wake up your fucking idea and don't ruin the party.

By 2015, China will be the largest economy in the whole fucking world. If China rules the world, there will be less wars and more trade and Africa will be raised from poverty. Without religion and those fucking crusades marketing their holier than thou democracy, and everyone concentrate on wholesome living and prosperity, the world can be peaceful and the human race has one last chance to forestall total annihilation by crazy zionist and war-mongers. This is the new world order we can welcome, not the USA zionist-islamic-racist-resources pilfering new world order that the USA is promoting.

The world will be much better with the China-Russia-Iran alliance and Israel must be destroyed at all costs, which means that USA and UK must be put into their place. They're war-mongers and feed their industrial military complex. USA and UK will not last another 50 years. Go suck the smelly dirty BO Angmoh's dick if anyone of you think so.

 

[laksaboy]

Hong Kong was never a democracy, for 150 years during British rule, it never gets to choose its governor.
Hong Kong is also not a sovereign country. It is even less of one than Taiwan. Even Taiwan's President dare not talk about 'independence' In fact, Taiwan is a Japanese colony for many years before the Kuomintang took control during the aftermath of WW2.

Why don't Taiwan declare it was a Japanese colony and wish to split with China and join with Japan? It can't, because the Kuomingtang thinks of itself as the rightful ruler of China, but this is pure delusional, because nobody recognizes Taiwan as a sovereign country, that's why it cannot call itself China but Chinese Taipei.

In a matter of the next 50 years, Japan will become a province of China, not that China give a fucking shit to Japan. With its population ageing, in 10 years time, 40% of these shorties will be over 65 years old. Japan is dying. Can you imagine millions of these bastards becoming senile and can barely walk?

That's why in this whole HKG Occupy Central nonsense, Japan has been silent. Only the stupid Pinoyland makes noise like the UK and USA. These clowns do not know their own place. We're dealing with a civilization, not a nation. USA's history of a mere 200 over years, which is just about the usual length of just one dynasty in China's history. And it does not even have a race to call its own. The DNA markers are vague and diverse, whereas the Chinese has distinctive DNA markers and we usually accept that 92% of Chinese are of Han descent, whether you like it or not, the rest of the world will still call you ching chong chang. So wise up and wake up your fucking idea and don't ruin the party.

By 2015, China will be the largest economy in the whole fucking world. If China rules the world, there will be less wars and more trade and Africa will be raised from poverty. Without religion and those fucking crusades marketing their holier than thou democracy, and everyone concentrate on wholesome living and prosperity, the world can be peaceful and the human race has one last chance to forestall total annihilation by crazy zionist and war-mongers. This is the new world order we can welcome, not the USA zionist-islamic-racist-resources pilfering new world order that the USA is promoting.

The world will be much better with the China-Russia-Iran alliance and Israel must be destroyed at all costs, which means that USA and UK must be put into their place. They're war-mongers and feed their industrial military complex. USA and UK will not last another 50 years. Go suck the smelly dirty BO Angmoh's dick if anyone of you think so.

You make it sound as though China has no military-industrial complex of its own.

If China rules the world, the world will become a hell hole. In fact, any unipolar world becomes a hell hole. That little spat in the South China Sea is a sneak preview of things to come.

The People's Republic of China is a political entity, a dynasty. The PRC commies are control freaks who attempt to keep their little empire intact by fair means or foul. Dynasties never last forever. Ideologically, there is only 'one China' - Taiwan, not the Maoist usurpers.

 

[Sinkie]

You make it sound as though China has no military-industrial complex of its own.

If China rules the world, the world will become a hell hole. In fact, any unipolar world becomes a hell hole. That little spat in the South China Sea is a sneak preview of things to come.

The People's Republic of China is a political entity, a dynasty. The PRC commies are control freaks who attempt to keep their little empire intact by fair means or foul. Dynasties never last forever. Ideologically, there is only 'one China' - Taiwan, not the Maoist usurpers.

Of course it has to be militarily strong. It has to rule the world one day and how to do so without a strong military? You're thinking China is a dynasty. The fact remains it is not so, as evidence has shown after a term of 10 years, the President and Prime Minister has to step aside. How to be a dynasty if this is so for the CCP?

However, in USA, you've such nonsense as idiots father-son Bush Senior and Bush Junior becoming Presidents and now there is word that Jed Bush, the brother of Gerogie is vying for President. You also have Bill Clinton and now his wife Hillary Clinton forming their own dynasty. I can name so many of such crony and family nonsense in USA.

If Taiwan rules China, the Chinese race is finished!! Ideologically? Please lah......give me a break. All Representative Democracy as long as it is first past the post is a farce and pure idiotic nonsense. True democracy can never take place just as true communism can never happen, because it is pure ideologies and we cannot put food on the table with ideologies.

 

[frenchbriefs]

u are fucking retardo.....bush senior and bush junior are republicans and bill clinton and hillary clinton are democrat so how can it cronism and family business?not to mention they actually have to be voted in by the population.

who gives a fuck if China president or premier have to step aside after 10 years,all of them are the same cocksuckers from the same party and toe the same fucking line and suck the same party balls.

Of course it has to be militarily strong. It has to rule the world one day and how to do so without a strong military? You're thinking China is a dynasty. The fact remains it is not so, as evidence has shown after a term of 10 years, the President and Prime Minister has to step aside. How to be a dynasty if this is so for the CCP?

However, in USA, you've such nonsense as idiots father-son Bush Senior and Bush Junior becoming Presidents and now there is word that Jed Bush, the brother of Gerogie is vying for President. You also have Bill Clinton and now his wife Hillary Clinton forming their own dynasty. I can name so many of such crony and family nonsense in USA.

If Taiwan rules China, the Chinese race is finished!! Ideologically? Please lah......give me a break. All Representative Democracy as long as it is first past the post is a farce and pure idiotic nonsense. True democracy can never take place just as true communism can never happen, because it is pure ideologies and we cannot put food on the table with ideologies.

 

[Sinkie]

u are fucking retardo.....bush senior and bush junior are republicans and bill clinton and hillary clinton are democrat so how can it cronism and family business?not to mention they actually have to be voted in by the population.

who gives a fuck if China president or premier have to step aside after 10 years,all of them are the same cocksuckers from the same party and toe the same fucking line and suck the same party balls.

Yeah, sure.....why you so naive? Have you ever come across a democracy that has only 2 parties and 2 candidates for the population to choose from? You call this a democracy? Use your brain a bit can or not? And yes, Obama is democrat but his ex-sec of state is Hillary, a republican, and you must be living under a rock if you did not know that Obama had a close door meeting with Bill Clinton and paid homage to Henry Kissinger before he gets the endorsements to run his campaign, among other covert dealings behind the scenes. You call this democracy? The candidate is pre-selected by their own party and these goons can cross the aisle at any time because it is all a big fucking show, where an actor can become President and another who lets his dick sucked by an intern can still be a President, etc, etc.

You must be fed on shit all your freaking life if you think that Xi Jin Ping is not purging Jian Zemin's gang with his corruption campaign, with Bo Xi Lai and now Zhu Yong Kang getting skewed, but it is not an easy task. To say they're in cahoots is the most naive comment I've ever heard.

 

[frenchbriefs]

pls keep ur dirty vulgar mouth from tarring the name of Bill clinton,iv watched hours of his interviews and q&a and this guy is a true intellectual,one of the rare gems of the human race,a true statesman one has ever seen,with a eq to match his monstrous iq......if anyone deserves to have his dick sucked its Bill clinton,that clown pinky doesnt even match up to 0.1% of bill clinton......not even in his fantasy world that he lives in.and hillary is a democrat,how the fuck can she be republican when her husband is the most hardcore democrat?and the actor guy was a republican just like the scumbag nixon......whenever a republican is in charge u can be sure the country is being selled out or the economy rigged or civil or human rights removed......,george bush another republican scum,people who vote for republicans are the same fucked up people who vote for PAP,and i dont mean just the average daft and stupid sinkie,those sinkies that really believe in PAP bullshit,ultra conservative right wing elitist narrow minded bigots....yes i am aware of the limitations of american politics but thats what it is and what the american people have to deal with......but u gotta be fucking kidding me if u believe that shit going on in PRC China.

Yeah, sure.....why you so naive? Have you ever come across a democracy that has only 2 parties and 2 candidates for the population to choose from? You call this a democracy? Use your brain a bit can or not? And yes, Obama is democrat but his ex-sec of state is Hillary, a republican, and you must be living under a rock if you did not know that Obama had a close door meeting with Bill Clinton and paid homage to Henry Kissinger before he gets the endorsements to run his campaign, among other covert dealings behind the scenes. You call this democracy? The candidate is pre-selected by their own party and these goons can cross the aisle at any time because it is all a big fucking show, where an actor can become President and another who lets his dick sucked by an intern can still be a President, etc, etc.

You must be fed on shit all your freaking life if you think that Xi Jin Ping is not purging Jian Zemin's gang with his corruption campaign, with Bo Xi Lai and now Zhu Yong Kang getting skewed, but it is not an easy task. To say they're in cahoots is the most naive comment I've ever heard.

 

[Sinkie]

pls keep ur dirty vulgar mouth from tarring the name of Bill clinton,iv watched hours of his interviews and q&a and this guy is a true intellectual,one of the rare gems of the human race,a true statesman one has ever seen,with a eq to match his monstrous iq......if anyone deserves to have his dick sucked its Bill clinton,that clown pinky doesnt even match up to 0.1% of bill clinton......not even in his fantasy world that he lives in.and hillary is a democrat,how the fuck can she be republican when her husband is the most hardcore democrat?and the actor guy was a republican just like the scumbag nixon......whenever a republican is in charge u can be sure the country is being selled out or the economy rigged or civil or human rights removed......,george bush another republican scum,people who vote for republicans are the same fucked up people who vote for PAP,and i dont mean just the average daft and stupid sinkie,those sinkies that really believe in PAP bullshit,ultra conservative right wing elitist capitalists....yes i am aware of the limitations of american politics but thats what it is and what the american people have to deal with......but u gotta be fucking kidding me if u believe that shit going on in PRC China.

So Monica was right to suck his dick because he's a gem of a President, even though the fact that she is an intern and hence at his mercy? If this is not abuse of power, that is? A true statesman? LOL, you must be a woman then. As far as I'm concerned, USA is dysfunctional and a horribly war-mongering country that smells the fart of Israel and do its bidding, even giving monetary aid in the billions.

The rest, no need for point by point rebuttal.....you can keep snorting that pot, but here's an article for you and your glorious USA democracy......Ha ha ha ha ha, what a freaking joke.

 

[frenchbriefs]

one,no one can say for certain whether the allegations are true or not,two everyone can see bill clinton is a great man so yeah.im not gonna discuss the other failings of USA cause they are irrelevant to the argument.they have nothing to do with hong kong democracy or what a shithole the government of CCP is.

So Monica was right to suck his dick because he's a gem of a President, even though the fact that she is an intern and hence at his mercy? If this is not abuse of power, that is? A true statesman? LOL, you must be a woman then. As far as I'm concerned, USA is dysfunctional and a horribly war-mongering country that smells the fart of Israel and do its bidding, even giving monetary aid in the billions.

The rest, no need for point by point rebuttal.....you can keep snorting that pot, but here's an article for you and your glorious USA democracy......Ha ha ha ha ha, what a freaking joke.

 

[Sinkie]

one,no one can say for certain whether the allegations are true or not,two everyone can see bill clinton is a great man so yeah.im not gonna discuss the other failings of USA cause they are irrelevant to the argument.they have nothing to do with hong kong democracy or what a shithole the government of CCP is.

Ok, ok, enough liao. I double confirm you're a woman. You can apply to be an intern for him.

China-Russia-Iran will rule the world. Mark my words. Better to kiss their butt than suck zionist Amerisrael's lame cock!

 

[frenchbriefs]

Ok, ok, enough liao. I double confirm you're a woman. You can apply to be an intern for him.

China-Russia-Iran will rule the world. Mark my words. Better to kiss their butt than suck zionist Amerisrael's lame cock!

how u check?u lick and suck my clitoris for me?

 

[Sinkie]

how u check?u lick and suck my clitoris for me?

You make me horny........you place or my place?