Cedars, October 2019

October 2019 7 OFF-CAMPUS democracy, freedom, and autonomy, pro- testers have turned a domestic legislative dispute into an international discussion. In framing their demands not in terms of legal- ity — China’s sovereignty over the island is clear — but in terms of human rights, Hong Kong has captured the attention of the in- ternational community. The protests are a civil demonstration, yes, but they are also an intentional perfor- mance for an international audience. The protesters and the Chinese government are in what Kim described as a “tug-of-war” for the sympathy of the international media. And the international media — as well as China’s political rivals — are happy to par- ticipate in the drama. “Depending on your position, the me- dia, the protesters, and the Chinese govern- ment are all trying to frame this issue for their interests,” Kim said. “To be honest, I’d guess the U.S. is pondering how to take advantage of this problem to advance its in- terests.” Hong Kong has long been a crucial point of stability for investors in Asia, look- ing to avoid the often-arbitrary judicial system of China yet gain access to the vast Chinese consumer market. However, the combination of the escalating U.S.-Chi- na trade war and the increasing mainland crackdown on democratic freedoms may risk its status as a neutral ground between the West and the East. This traps Beijing in a catch-22. If it ignores the protests, the demonstrations will only gather more attention; if it cracks down, it will be painted as a brutal totalitar- ian regime and may face sanctions from the international community; if it acquiesces to the protesters’ demands, it invites further civil action in the future, not only in Hong Kong, but in Macau, Taiwan and similar ter- ritories. Duerr described the tension in the in- ternational community, wondering how these protests will ultimately be resolved. “I don’t know the exit ramp,” he said. Protesters’ frustrations seem to only be escalating, as the October 1 events demon- strate. China cannot afford a public repeat of Tiananmen Square. However, they also cannot afford to be swayed by demonstra- tions such as these. To acquiesce even fur- ther would be to encourage future demon- strations, be perceived as weak and pliable, and to threaten the nationalist identity Xi Jinping has so far built his presidency on. Hong Kongers, by contrast, are grap- pling with how to respond to the direction China is taking the island — how to react when “one country” feels more like another colonization. Some protest, others are re- signed, recognizing that “one country, two systems” came with an expiration date. In 2047, the island will be fully reinte- grated into the Chinese fold. Already, the business and transport infrastructure devel- oped since the takeover shows preparations for this shift. Some feel Hong Kong needs to come to terms with this fact. Others are terrified by the immediacy of its effects less than half- way through the transition period. How do 7.4 million Hong Kongers simply “become” part of China? Editor’s note: The author for this article was withheld to protect their ability to travel to China in the future. July 1, 1997 September, 28- December, 7 2014 February 2019 June 9, 2019 September 4, 2019 October 1, 2019 Hong Kong o cially returned to China 70th anniversa- ry of the found- ing of the People’s Republic of China Organizers report nearly two million present at protest Extradition bill withdrawn Extradition bill announced Umbrella Revolution