China’s Soft Underbelly – Hong Kong
While the focus has been on the Russian front and Mr. Putin has the spot light to himself for quite a few months, the empire has not been neglecting the eastern front – China is always close to its caring heart. Now that the Ukrainian theater is going into the winter recess, the full attention is being diverted to China. It might have been an interesting show, but for the lack of sportsmanship on part of the Chinese government – It seems that Beijing is not in mood to play game.
Since the very early days of the Empire, Hong Kong was curved out to serve as the eastern hub of the drug empire. It was the center for opium trade settlements, and, later on, a shipping hub and the banking center for the region. The drug money infused relative prosperity of its inhabitants also served as the billboard displaying the success of the capitalist system.
More than two hundred years faithfully serving the empire, the inhabitants of Hong Kong in general, and the elites in particular, find themselves closer to their drug lords than to their mainland fellow Chinese – The roots of their loyalties and connections going back to hundreds of years.
While the booming Chinese economy, and the relative prosperity of the mainland Chinese has eroded the money factor in the ‘Hong Kongian‘ pride, they still drool in their cultural superiority over the mainland Chinese. Even though almost half of the Hong Kong residents are waking up to the reality of the time, the rest still begging their masters to deliver them the Freedom.
The problem that China is facing in Hong Kong, its Southern Soft Underbelly, is the same as it has been dealing with in Xinjiang, and in Tibet – a large population either sympathizing with the West, or, due to historical and generational connections, bonded to the western powers. What is brewing in Hong Kong is the work of the 5th column working in concert with the pro-western segment of the population.
The way western media is plying the events, shows that it is a well concerted and planned operation going on. It has all the markings of a color coded, Soro inspired movement. The protests have been dubbed as the ‘Occupy Central ‘ – very appropriate!
In Sweden, a site (http://www.anonsweden.se/?page_id=6268) has been quickly dedicated to post the protests’ clips, videos, and up-to-the-minute information on the latest developments.
Here are some of the Headlines in the western press:
“Pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong blocked a second major thoroughfare, this time across the harbour, after police had earlier used tear gas to disperse huge crowds in the city’s centre.”
“A dozen police looked on helplessly as the demonstrators took over Nathan Road, chanting slogans and wrapping their eyes in clingfilm to protect themselves in the event of pepper spray being deployed, an AFP reporter said.”
”We need to strike for freedom and for our democracy. We’ve come to Mongkok because it’s very dangerous now in Central and Admiralty,” 20-year-old student Calvin Chan told AFP, referring to the two districts where tear gas had been deployed.
“What’s going on in Hong Kong right now is a very big deal, and for reasons that go way beyond just this weekend’s protests. Hong Kong’s citizens are protesting to keep their promised democratic rights, which they worry — with good reason — could be taken away by the central Chinese government in Beijing.
“If this one gets out of control, Xi will also lose face,” Willy Wo-Lap Lam, a commentator on Chinese politics who teaches at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said in an interview. “Everyone knows he’s the one running the show.”
The Timing of it all:
One more point to note here is that all this eruption in Hog Kong, along with a few other strange occurrences in mainland China, started at a time when Xi Jinping had just returned home after trying to open a new era of relationship with India. Powers that be, don’t like the idea that Mr. Xi Jinping is trying to pursue.
The harsh and determined tackling of the Occupy Central movement by the authorities indicates that they are fully aware of what is at stake. Don’t bet on a full blown firework in Hong Kong.
I have been living in Hong Kong for almost a decade, and can tell you that the majority of Hong Kong people are not participating in these protests. People here are well aware of what is going on in the west in general, and in the US in particular – they saw the police brutality in Fergusan. There is no illusion.
Many people here are also taken aback by the abrupt eruption of these protests, and are very concerned about the economic impact on the island. Further, the majority of the business here is with the mainland Chinese people. Hong Kong is a business and commerce center. Businesses don’t want to disrupt their relationship with the mainland.
That said, most people don’t want to lose their ‘autonomous’ status as well. You are right, there are elements who are exploiting the sentiments of younger generation. But, so far, the police response has not been extreme – no where close to Fergusan brutalities. I can also tell you that police is showing even more restraint today.
A good article, though.
Perhaps Japan can come in and liberate them!
All the Chinese authorities have to do is infect a number of these people who are demonstrating with Ebola and let time take its course. A small number of people would start showing symptoms within 3 days. By one week, enough people will be showing symptoms to cause panic in this large grouping of people, and they will disperse.