25th anniversary of return to China: Little remains of liberal Hong Kong

25 years ago, the British handed over power in Hong Kong to China. At the time, many hoped that Hong Kong’s liberal spirit would eventually spread to mainland China. But China didn’t stick to the treaties – and it turned out the other way around.

Hong Kong became part of the People’s Republic of China on July 1, 1997. At the handover ceremony the night before, the flag of the former colonial power, the British Union Flag, was lowered. The Chinese anthem was played after the British anthem. And the flag of the People’s Republic was raised.

But Hong Kong shouldn’t just become a normal Chinese city overnight. Britain and the People’s Republic have negotiated for years since the 1980s. The result was a treaty that was binding under international law, the so-called Joint Declaration, deposited with the United Nations.

Promise for 50 years

This treaty grants the people of Hong Kong extensive rights. They should be allowed to maintain their way of life for 50 years. Hong Kong is to be governed autonomously as a so-called Chinese special administrative region.

“It was the greatest honor of my life to share your home with you for five years and also to take responsibility for your future,” said the last governor under British rule, Chris Patten, the day before the handover. “Now Hong Kong will be ruled by Hong Kongers, that’s the promise and the unshakable destiny of the city.”

Hong Kong’s capitalist economic system was to be preserved under the concept of “one country, two systems”. But basic rights, such as those enjoyed by people in the final years of the British colonial era, were also guaranteed: freedom of the press, freedom of religion, the right to demonstrate, freedom of expression, the rule of law. In addition, the people of Hong Kong were granted semi-democratic elements. None of this existed and does not exist in mainland China. That is why it was recorded in a kind of constitution at the time, the so-called Basic Law.

The way of life should remain

At the handover ceremony, the then Chinese head of state and party, Jiang Zemin, promised to abide by the treaties and promptly implement the “one country, two systems” agreement.

Hong Kong should be governed by Hong Kongers, there will be a lot of autonomy. People should be allowed to keep their social and economic system and their way of life, Jiang Zemin said.

Little is left of the confidence of that time. What worked well in the first few years after the handover has been increasingly undermined by the communist central government in Beijing under head of state and party leader Xi Jinping.

For example, 25 years later there is hardly anything left of the fundamental rights agreed upon at the time. Hong Kong’s once vibrant civil society has been shattered. Political scientist Jean-Pierre Cabestan from Hong Kong’s Baptist University put it in a nutshell:

Security Act put a stop to it

The police used batons, tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets and live ammunition against the protests in 2019, which repeatedly turned violent.

The security law passed by the state and party leadership in Beijing put a definitive end to the protests. This means that almost everything that can be construed against China or the Communist Party can be criminalized – even retrospectively. Demonstrations and commemorative events were banned, curricula were restructured, parties were forced to dissolve, and media houses were closed.

Lam: “As free as ever”

Numerous members of the opposition like Joshua Wong are in prison. Other pro-democracy figures, such as former chief executive Anson Chan, have withdrawn and remain silent. Hundreds of thousands have fled the country, including activist Nathan Law, who now lives in the UK.

The statement by the outgoing Hong Kong Prime Minister Carrie Lam on June 10 of this year seems like mockery. In an interview with US TV broadcaster CNBC, she said Hong Kong was “as free as ever.” According to the head of government appointed by Beijing, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of the press are all there.

Successor was formerly head of security

It is not to be expected that things will ease up again under her successor John Lee. The 64-year-old succeeded Carrie Lam on July 1. He was appointed the new head of government in early May – by a non-democratic electoral body controlled by the central government in Beijing. There were no opposing candidates.

John Lee, the former Hong Kong security chief, was responsible for the tough police crackdown on protesters in 2019. He also helped implement the security law passed by the state and party leadership.

“China tries to square the circle”

A 50-year transition period had been agreed for Hong Kong, and now it’s half-time. The central government in Beijing has now abolished many of the social freedoms originally promised to the around seven million people in the Chinese special administrative region.

At the same time, the state and party leadership is trying to hold on to Hong Kong’s free special economic status. Quite a balancing act, says political scientist Jean-Pierre Cabestan from Baptist University in Hong Kong:

The political scientist Cabestan does not assume that the government in Beijing plans to completely integrate Hong Kong into the People’s Republic – as a normal Chinese city. According to Cabestan, the Communist Party wants to keep Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” status.

Hong Kong should remain a kind of special administrative region. “But they want to draw a line between economic interests and national security. The big question, of course, is whether that’s possible.”