
Protesters expose a fractured Hong Kong, but China’s grip only tightens - La-ang
https://www.economist.com/china/2019/07/05/protesters-expose-a-fractured-hong-kong-but-chinas-grip-only-tightens
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mytailorisrich
The issue of HK was settled in 1997 when it returned to full Chinese
sovereignty. The rest really is a grieving process for those nostalgic of the
colonial period.

The transition period was useful for China because HK was important and the
government did not want to scare foreign companies away. It also allowed the
British to save face.

We read sometimes that the expectation was that HK's system would 'spread' to
the mainland... It was at best wishful thinking. HK might have had the rule of
law (Still has it, and it is still lacking on the mainland) but it did not
have Democracy under the British, who really started to open the system up
after they agree to the retrocession, and the Chinese were not the type to
turn 'soft' (1989 brought those who thought otherwise down to Earth, hard).

On the 'Chinese' side (mainland), I think that the thinking was that as the
country develops the role and importance of HK would diminish. We see that
now.

HK really rose to prominence after 1949 when Shanghai was effectively killed
off. Before that Shanghai was the leading centre and the trend is that it will
reclaim the title.

By population Shenzhen is also now larger than HK so one might wonder whether
HK will end up being 'absorbed'.

For China as a whole, it seems to me that the rule of law is a key issue
because China will not be able to truly achieve its potential without it.

Lastly, it's interesting that no-one ever mentions Macau that was retroceded
to China in 1999 under similar arrangements after a much longer colonial
period (governed by the Portuguese since the 16th century).

Edit: The Chinese side's point if view is also not often discussed. For China
HK has always been a source of shame and humiliation, and understandably so.
The retrocession was very emotional in China because it finally ended that
period.

That is to say that I think that China will never budge on HK and will react
very strongly against any 'interference', with the full support of the Chinese
population at large because that brings them back to the darkest times of the
Opium Wars and of the Unequal Treaties, even if all Chinese are not
necessarily unsympathetic towards the protesters when it comes to democracy.

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rossdavidh
I am no expert, but it seems the non-democratic-but-capitalist system in
mainland China, is at least as close to the pre-1997 system in Hong Kong, as
it is to the late 20th century Chinese system. Granted, the mainland was
already moving that way, but I still think one could argue that the HK system
spread to the mainland. As long as you know, that the pre-1997 system in HK
was capitalist, not democratic.

~~~
mytailorisrich
HK has a strong rule of law based on the British system. That's a major
benefit for them in itself and also for the trust it provides to foreign
companies in investors.

The mainland is still far from having anything that could be called "rule of
law"...

