Source: South China Morning Post
Hong Kong is facing a major political crisis as it heads into its 11th weekendof mass demonstrations. What started as a movement against a controversial law has expanded into something much bigger.
Here’s what you need to know:
What’s The History Here?
Hong Kong belongs to China, but it has its own currency, political system and cultural identity. That difference goes back generations; the city was a colony and territory of the United Kingdom for more than 150 years, until the British handed it back over to China in 1997.
Today, Hong Kong’s legal system still mirrors the British model, prizing transparency and due process. Under the policy, Hong Kong’s maintains a de-facto constitution, known as the Hong Kong Basic Law. It guarantees freedoms that are unavailable to Chinese mainlanders, such as the right to protest, the right to a free press and freedom of speech. One of the tenets in the Basic Law is that Hong Kong has the right to develop its own democracy, and previous Chinese officials pledged that the central government in Beijing wouldn’t interfere with that.
However, in recent years, Beijing has repeatedly reinterpreted the Basic Law — now it says it has “complete jurisdiction” over Hong Kong.The Basic Law states that Hong Kong “shall safeguard the rights and freedoms of the residents” for 50 years after the handover. But many residents say mainland China is already starting to encroach on those rights.
What Are The Protesters Demands?
Protests began in March, but they kicked off in earnest in June. They were sparked by widespread opposition to a now-shelved extradition bill, but have since expanded to demands for full democracy and police accountability. Protesters have also been riled by recent allegations of police brutality.
As the protest movement is leaderless, not everyone has the same goals in mind. But in general, five main demands have emerged: withdraw the bill, for leader Carrie Lam to step down, an inquiry into police brutality, for those who have been arrested to be released, and greater democratic freedoms.
Why Are Protesters Targeting The Airport?
The airport, which is one of the busiest in Asia, has emerged as a key protest target as anti-government demonstrators looked to take their message directly to the international community.
At the airport last weekend, leaflets in Chinese, English, French, Korean, Japanese and other languages were handed out to arriving international visitors, explaining the causes of the unrest — as protesters see it — and the demands of the opposition movement.
What Does This Mean For Hong Kong’s Economy?
While mainland China is Hong Kong’s most important trading partner, the city is an international business and financial hub, and the economy is already showing signs of hurting as a result of the protests.
Companies have already reported “serious consequences from the disruption,” including lost revenue, disrupted supply chains and shelved investments, the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said last month. Businesses in Hong Kong, both international and local, have also faced pressure and accusations of acting in concert or sympathizing with the protesters. Cancelled flights are terrible news for companies operating in the financial hub. More than 74 million passengers traveled to and from the airport last year. It handles 1,100 passenger and cargo flights each day, and serves about 200 destinations around the world.
Companies have already reported “serious consequences from the disruption.”The airport contributes 5% to Hong Kong’s GDP, directly and indirectly, said Frank Chan, Hong Kong’s transport secretary, in May. Experts worry that travelers will now avoid Hong Kong. “This is a disaster for Hong Kong that will cost tens of millions of dollars,” said Geoffrey Thomas, editor in chief and managing director of AirlineRatings.com, a website that monitors airlines.
Source: CNN
The Serious K 