CHINESE

DEMOCRACY:

A HONG KONG

CASE STUDYRichard Lau, Jade Li(Chan, 2005)

1

PREVIEW

1. Introduction

2. Thesis Statement

3. Features of Democracy

4. Struggles in Universal Suffrage

5. ‘Occupy Central’ and ‘Umbrella Revolution’

6. Analysis of the protest

7. Summary

2

‘TOO SIMPLE, SOMETIMES NAÏVE”

Rare Footage of Former China Leader Jiang Zemin Freak Out

(With English Subs!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GIj2BVJS2A

(Getty Images,1997)

3

BASIC HISTORY OF HONG KONG SINCE

1997

• Hong Kong, handed back to China in 1997 following a 1984

agreement between China and Britain.

• "one country, two systems”- Deng XiaoPing

(Moss, 2009) (Grieve,, N.D.) 4

ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEM

Claims that there is only one China, but distinct regions such as

Hong Kong, and Macau could retain their own capitalist economic

and political systems

The remaining parts of China uses Socialist system

5

HONG KONG BASIC INFORMATION

Leading Financial Centre characterized by low taxation and

freedom of trade (one of the four Asian Tigers)

Plays an active role in international arena and maintains strong

relationship with international partners.

Successful tourism industry that is attractive to many mainlanders

and tourist from the world.

(Diliff,

2008)

6

THESIS STATEMENT

Hong Kong is semi-democratic . While It is a special administrative region that does contain

some of the democratic features such as freedom of speech,

but Hong Kong has no universal suffrage---a basic tenant of a

democracy.

7

SO…WHAT IS “DEMOCRACY”?

FOUR basic elements :

1. Choosing and replacinggovernment through FREE and FAIR ELECTIONS;

2. ACTIVE PARTICIPATION of people (citizens), in politics and civic life;

3. PROTECTION of HUMAN RIGHTS and basic freedoms;

4. RULE OF LAW in which law, itsinstitutions and procedures serveequally to citizens

(Olleros,2014)

8

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AND

HUMAN RIGHTS & BASIC FREEDOM

Freedom of assembly

Press freedom

Political freedom

(gov.hk,1990)

9

Freedom of Assembly: the

individual right or ability to come

together and collectively express,

promote, pursue, and defend their

ideas

(Tsang, 2013)

10

Freedom of the press

and media : the freedom

of communication and

expression through

mediums including various

electronic media

and published materials

(wordvancouver.ca,n.d.)

(facebook,n.d.)

11

Political Freedom: rights of free

association and the right of free

expression, enables individual to

determine and to speak about their

government without oppression and

coercion

(Karin,2013

)

12

RULE OF LAW

The Rule of Law is the legal principle that law should govern a

nation, as opposed to arbitrary decisions by individual

government officials.

Hong Kong : “High degree of AUTONOMY” (Art. 2, Basic Law,

BL), its (capitalist-liberal) WAY OF LIFE remains unchanged, and

upholds RULE OF LAW inherited from British system;

13

FREE AND FAIR ELECTION

NO UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE

Limited suffrage allowed for election of Legislative

Council(LEGCO) members.

Chief executive “appointed’ by Central Government from PRC

PROMISES of suffrage (article 45) continuously postponed

the ‘Election of CE (2017)’ promised caused the umbrella revolution in Hong

Kong.

14

THE ARTICLE IN BASIC LAW

(gov.hk,

1997)

15

STRUGGLE WITH UNIVERSAL

SUFFRAGE

1997

Pan-

Democratic

Camp try to

launch

universal

Suffrage at

2007, soon

rejected by

NPCSC

2004

Article 45:

“ultimate aim

is the selection

of CE by

universal

suffrage”

NPCSC

agreed the 5th

election of CE

may be by the

method of

universal

suffrage in

2017

2007

NPCSC

announced

that civil

nomination

would be

disallowed,

reneging their

promse

2014

Occupy

Central/Umbre

lla Revolution

Timeline

16

OCCUPY CENTRAL/UMBRELLA REVOLUTION

In August 2014, the Chinese government announced plans to vet

candidates in Hong Kong's 2017 elections, virtually assuring only

pro-Beijing politicians would be on the ballots.

(Getty Images,2014)

17

OCCUPY CENTRAL/UMBRELLA REVOLUTION

Protesters blocked the main street to the Central district outside

the government headquarters in Hong Kong, on September 26,

2014.

(EPA,2014)

18

OCCUPY CENTRAL/UMBRELLA REVOLUTION

Security forces wearing gas masks take positions opposite to

demonstrators taking part in a pro-democracy protest.

(Siu,2014) (EPA,2014)

19

(AP Photo, 2014)

20

(AFP,2014)

21

OCCUPY CENTRAL/UMBRELLA REVOLUTION

(EPA,2014)

22

OCCUPY CENTRAL/UMBRELLA REVOLUTION

(Getty Image,2014)

23

(HKO2006,

2014)

24

OCCUPY CENTRAL/UMBRELLA REVOLUTION

October 14, 2014.

(EPA,2014)

25

OCCUPY CENTRAL/UMBRELLA REVOLUTION

On 24th October, Former CE Tung Kee Wa talked to public about Beijing’s

concerns on the damage created to Hong Kong. He stated that the Rule of

Law should be above any illegal assembly.

（BBC，2014）

26

OCCUPY CENTRAL/UMBRELLA REVOLUTION

Entering December, the protest signaled an end when the

organizers trio surrendered in front of the government office on

15th December 2014

27

(AFP,2014)

SHORT-TERM IMPACTS

Transportation are seriously affected

Metro station are blocked by protesters for days

Traffic jam stretching for miles

Taxi drivers income falls by 50%

Schools was suspended for more than 10 days

Hong Kong economy was damaged with 2.58% fall in HangSeng

Index.

Mong Kok triad sales has decreased 40% but surprisingly other area have

marked increase in sales as well as visitor number.

28

POSITIVE IMPACT

To Citizens: Convince more citizens to think about true democracy and support

To Government: Let government officers know about the views of Hong Kong people on this

issue

29

EFFECT ON SOCIETIES

As time went by, the NPCSC have make no actions or

compromise to Hong Kong political structure reform.

Anti-occupy feeling began to emerge due to the disruption to the

lives of ordinary citizens caused by roads blocked, traffic jams,

school closures, and financial loss to businesses (including in

particular those run by the Triads in Mong Kok)

The police actions on the protesters has resulted in a breakdown

of citizens' trust in the previously respected police force.

30

PRESENT

The main thoroughfare in Admiralty is now open to traffic, with hardly any

traces of the protest camp--BBC

(BBC,2014)

31

1.83 million Hong Kong citizen sign for the petition, calling for the end of ‘occupy central’—yahoo news

Pro-occupy party vowed to

continue with their campaign

(Yahoo HK,2014) (BBC, 2014)

32

Many organizers and the ‘trio of occupy’ surrendered in 24th

January, which signaled the end of the umbrella revolution.

The majority(1.83 million Hong Kong citizen) started to question

the pro-occupy group aims of a democracy. Survey conducted by

Chinese University of Hong Kong showed that around 50% of

Hong Kong citizen do not want any more ‘umbrella revolution’ in

the future.

33

OUR

ANALYSIS

(AFP,2014)

34

ECONOMICAL CONSEQUENCES

Stocks have fallen the most in three weeks

The currency has weakened

Investments and business activities are damaged

Hang Seng Index(yahoo

finance,2015)

35

LARGE FIRMS’ WITHDRAWAL FROM

HONG KONG MARKET

There is a possibility that due to the political instability, large firms

like could withdraw from Hong Kong and relocate.

Many of the investors will direct their investments to major

Chinese cities like Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen.

Guangzhou, especially, can accommodate companies with the

same advantages if not more than what Hong Kong is currently

offering.

36

ANALYSIS OF CURRENT

CONDITION

It is unlikely that China will submit and

allow Hong Kong a democratic election

because… China is no longer dependent on Hong Kong and Beijing is

becoming increasingly influential in the internal affairs of Hong

Kong

Without Chinese tourists Hong Kong’s hotels and shopping centers will suffer

Without Chinese linked opportunities, Hong Kong’s young people would face

employment

Many foreign business used Hong Kong as a bridge to connect their business

with China mainland.

37

(World

Bank,n.d.)

38

ANALYSIS OF THE PROTEST

The NPCSC’s decisions might be due to recent tensions between mainlanders and Hong Kong citizens

Birth Tourism and Lacks of milk formula

Mainlander women flew to Hong Kong to give birth, buy milk formula and take school seats from local Hong Kong citizens

National and Moral education implementation

40000 students participated in a hunger strike in front of Central Government office

Resentment to mainlander tourist

Mainlander tourist allowed their children to urinate in a busy street

Eating in MTR

39

ANALYSIS OF THE PROTEST

Young generations thought that they are not bonded to “China", and they preferred to “Hong Kong” as its own “country”

Older generations preferred “China as one” because they are more bonded to China. Actually, most of them come from mainland many years ago. They are also regarded as the silent majority in the umbrella revolution.

Hence, if NPCSC allows the universal suffrage—the basic tenant of democracy, it may lead to a independent referendum of the SAR from PRC in the future.

40

ANALYSIS OF THE PROTEST

Does Beijing win?

Yes and No

“the best kind of victory is won without

fighting.”Sun Tzu 不战而胜

During this few months , Beijing did win

without taking any action. They have

retain the semi-democratic structure of

Hong Kong

However, it did damage the young

generations’ opinions toward mainland

China

Many protesters rebranded

themselves as “Hong Kong but not

China”

(Getty Images,2014)

41

SUMMARY

1. Hong Kong is a semi-democratic district

2. Hong Kong shares some democracy power

3. Hong Kong has no Universal Suffrage

4. Inter-dependent of both mainland and Hong Kong

5. Future citizen’s value toward country may be damaged

42

JUST FOR FUN

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-31189050

Recent news regarding to CY Leung

43

SUMMARY

Hong Kong is semi-democratic .

44

REFERENCE

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CCS.org,. 2015. 'The ‘Umbrella Revolution’ In Hong Kong: Economic Consequences For Hong Kong, China And The Global Economy'. http://www.ccs.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/CCS_Commentary_Hong-Kong_Indiana-and-Daouda_.pdf �.

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