Hong Kong: A Brief Overview

Written by Frank Li

Two recent news stories about Hong Kong:

1. China Approves Plan to Rein In Hong Kong, Defying Worldwide Outcry.
2. Trump, Retaliating Against Beijing, Revokes Privileges For Hong Kong. Note that President Trump did it last Friday, when America was on fire (e.g. riots in many cities and Covid-19), as if China timed it perfectly and he had to respond timely as well.

As a result, I am compelled to chip in …

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1. Hong Kong

Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia – Hong Kong.

Hong Kong (officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (HKSAR), is a metropolitan area and special administrative region of China in the eastern Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With over 7.5 million people of various nationalities[d] in a 1,104-square-kilometre (426 sq mi) territory, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places in the world.

Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire after the Qing Empire ceded Hong Kong Island at the end of the First Opium War in 1842.[16] The colony expanded to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 after the Second Opium War, and was further extended when Britain obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898.[17][18] The whole territory was returned to China in 1997.[19] As a special administrative region, Hong Kong maintains separate governing and economic systems from that of mainland China under a principle of “one country, two systems“.[20]

In short, China rightfully claimed Hong Kong back in 1997, as a concluding step to finally end the Century of humiliation.

2. Hong Kong under China

Hong Kong prospered hugely for the first 10 years under China. Two main reasons:

1. China was developing rapidly, needing Hong Kong’s help, from finance to ports. For example, there was no direct flight between Taiwan and China. So, all the traffics between them went through Hong Kong.
2. Hong Kong enjoyed the best of both worlds: western “freedom” and China’s rapid rise in economy, from cheap labor to expenditures on luxuries.

As a result, Hong Kong became very spoiled!

Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever, especially good times! As China became more and more developed, Hong Kong became more and more marginalized. Two examples:

1. There are direct flights between Taiwan and China, which is a huge loss for Hong Kong. FYI: There were more than one million Taiwanese living in mainland China before the Covid-19 breakout.
2. Shanghai became the financial center in East Asia, and there are a lot of ports in China, which are bigger and better than those in Hong Kong.

The spoiled Hong Kong had trouble adjusting to the new reality. Worse yet, democracy started showing its true face: it does not work – never has, and never will! Democracy is failing in Hong Kong, just as it is failing everywhere else, especially in terms of governance! One prominent example: If Hong Kong had enacted national security laws on its own, Beijing wouldn’t be stepping in.

Worst of all, Hong Kong became a base of subversion of China, often with funding from abroad, including the CIA. Two informative readings:

1. Is CIA behind Hong Kong protests?
2. Subversion: KGB vs. CIA.

The Chinese government put up with it for a long time, until now!

3. China

China is arguably the greatest country in human history!

Two indisputable facts:

1. China has the longest continuous civilization in human history – Yes, 5,000 years!
2. Throughout human history, great civilizations have come and gone, with one major exception: China – come, almost gone, and come again.

The image below highlights China’s dramatic peaceful transformation!

More profoundly, the current form of the Chinese government is not only the best for China, ever, but also arguably the best available in the world today. Three informative readings:

1. Towards an Ideal Form of Government (Version 3)
2. The U.S. vs. China: A Great Experiment vs. A Great Civilization!
3. Resilience: The U.S. vs. China.

If there is a big problem with China, it is this: the leadership of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) will not tolerate challenges, which, unfortunately, is exactly what the subversive force in Hong Kong has been doing!

Furthermore, China, under the CCP leadership, will never allow Hong Kong (nor Taiwan) to be independent, just like President Lincoln who led the Civil War to keep the union intact.

4. Hong Kong, again

Superficially, the subversive force in Hong Kong wants democracy, which Hong Kong never had, not even throughout the entire 99-year-rule under Britain.

In essence, it just wants China to fail, exactly as the Trump administration wishes!

As for the protesting students, they are just as naïve, stupid, misguided as the protesting students in China in 1989 (Tiananmen Square Protest and Crackdown, 30 Years Later), and must therefore be dealt with by all means, legally or otherwise.

Unfortunately, the Hong Kong government has failed to deal with the subversive force!

5. “One Country, Two Systems”

Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia – One country, two systems.

“One country, two systems” is a constitutional principle of the People’s Republic of China describing the governance of Hong Kong and Macau since they became Special Administrative Regions (SARs) of China in 1997 and 1999, respectively.

Question: When one system has proven far superior to the other, how can you possibly expect the other system to last very long? Two main considerations:

1. Subversion is a big no-no in any country. China is no exception!
2. It’s “one country” first, and “two systems” second! When system 2 tries to subvert system 1, what do you expect system 1 to do?

Welcome to the real world!

6. America

The Trump administration has been hugely anti-China, Tonya Harding style!

Three informative readings:

1. The U.S. vs. China: From the Trade War to Commercial Sabotage!
2. Covid-19: Blaming China?
3. President Trump Unmasked!

As for Hong Kong, America has been a subversive force over three for a long time, which has been escalated under President Trump (Pompeo Calls for Restraint in Hong Kong, and McConnell Asks Trump Speak Up). The picture below shows one example.

What’s wrong with this picture?

It’s in English, shown to foreigners (vs. in Chinese, shown to the Chinese)!

As for the sanctions President Trump is about to introduce, it’s more barks than bites! For more, read: What To Know About Hong Kong’s Special Status And What Happens If The U.S. Removes It?

Below is an excerpt from this new article: Hong Kong: Trump‘s big bluff.

But Washington’s threats are a damp squib. For one thing, Hong Kong was never a fully “autonomous” or independent city. It is a special administrative region that enjoys a “high degree” of autonomy “directly under the authority” of the Chinese government, except in foreign and defense affairs. The new law falls within such specifications. And it will be implemented according to the Hong Kong Basic Law, which allows legislation on foreign affairs and defense to be promulgated into the local legal system by the National People’s Congress.

In reality, the national security law would have no effect on average Hong Kongers. The biggest change to Hong Kong is that it would no longer be the world’s largest unregulated bastion for international intelligence agencies. Hence, the Americans’ “autonomy” excuse is just a cover for the real reason the US is angry: The new law would allow Beijing to dismantle Washington’s entire anti-China spy network in Hong Kong, which took decades to establish. Moreover, Beijing’s move neatly removes the Americans’ Hong Kong card — an important source of leverage in their comprehensive war on China.

In summary, just like all the actions President Trump has taken against China, trade or otherwise, they have been hurting both countries. America will win the battles at first, but China will win the war, ultimately! For more, read: Resilience: The U.S. vs. China.

7. Discussion

“One Country, Two Systems” is a 2-way street, relying on both sides to keep it going. Unfortunately, it is Hong Kong that has failed, big time! As a result, China is ready to take over as the last resort to save Hong Kong!

Why is Honk Kong failing?

For the same reason as America is failing: America: It’s Democracy, Stupid!

America, stay out of Hong Kong – It’s China’s internal affair!

Here is an interesting article: While America burns, Donald Trump is busy ‘fixing’ Hong Kong’s problems. Below is an excerpt:

Here’s a little reality check for America’s many useful idiots in Hong Kong: your great white hope for saving you from China’s clutches, US President Donald Trump, just gave everyone an unpleasant taste of what he really feels about the kind of dissent that has been on display on the streets of this city since last year.

Below is a recent example, showing how badly President Trump is failing domestically.

How can he possibly well handle anything internationally?

Three salient points for America to leave Hong Kong alone:

1. China is not the USSR, which collapsed, thanks to a big traitor named Mikhail Gorbachev. China has found its own path to success, which is totally different from, and better than, America’s. For more, read: Mikhail Gorbachev vs. Deng Xiaoping.
2. China will not allow America’s meddling in Hong Kong, as America did everywhere else in the world (e.g. Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Ukraine).
3. Overall, China’s system is slightly better than America’s. For more, read: Resilience: The U.S. vs. China.

America, mind our own business at home, from Covid-19 (Why Is Covid-19 Such A Total Disaster in America?), to systemic racism (America: Justice in Unjust Land?), to the totally corrupted and incompetent leadership at the top (President Trump Unmasked!)!

America, reform our failing political system, as I have suggested (American Democracy – Why is it failing & how to fix it?), or become a fiddle, second to China!

8. Closing

Hong Kong is a huge subject. I have simply offered a brief overview. Hopefully it has helped you better understand Hong Kong, China, as well as America.

Now, please sit back and watch two videos below.

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