On 9 June 2019 over 1 million Hong Kong people took to the streets to protest against the attempt by the administration of Carrie Lam to bulldoze the Extradition Bill through the Legislative Council, Hong Kong’s lawmaking body. It was the biggest peaceful show of people power by the Hong Kong people since Britain handed the colony over to Chinese rule in July 1997. Although Hong Kong has never had democratic government, the people cherish the freedoms and the personal safety they enjoy, which is underpinned by the rule of law and an independent judiciary. Ironically we enjoy freedoms and personal safety much more than many countries which have periodical elections! Our current arrangement was a promise by the Chinese Government under their policy of “One Country, Two Systems” which should last for 50 years until 2047.
In recent years Hong Kong people have been unnerved by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s hardline policy on the whole country, including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). We see our freedoms, personal safety and the rule of law being inexorably eroded and the Chief Executive Carrie Lam has done nothing to show she would stand up for the local people’s interests. Instead she acts as an obedient servant of President Xi. Thus many people begin to emigrate. The Extradition Bill was the final straw because it enables the Hong Kong government to return fugitives to Mainland China.
For more than 20 years, the Hong Kong government and the Mainland authorities have failed to reach agreement of extradition or rendition mainly because of the two vastly different legal systems. To many Hong Kong people, China’s system is complete lawlessness and what the Chinese Communist Party says is the law. Hong Kong people fear they could be extradited to the Mainland for corruption offences which they say are necessary if they want to do business in China. What the government has failed to do in 20 years, they now want to complete in just a few months, with no public consultation. Hence over 1 million people poured into the streets on Hong Kong Island on a sweltering day to show their disgust and concern. They came from all sectors of society, including many young people, who are particularly alarmed about their own future.
In these difficult times, the British Government, in spite of the turmoil of Brexit, must do its best to assist the Hong Kong people, many of whom are British National (Overseas). I also hope the international community will take action to ensure that this vibrant, peaceful and dynamic city will not be crushed by evil forces and reduced to just another Chinese city.
Article by Emily Lau, the former chairperson of the Democratic Party in Hong Kong, added on June 10, 2019 at 10:48 Berlin time.
Emily Lau in 2018. Photo by Voice of America, VOA (public domain).
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