Hong Kong Protest

Introduction

According to China and Britain’s agreement in 1984, HK, what used to be a British Colony for 156 years, was to be returned to China, and become a “Special Administrative Region” from July 1997.  

• This meant that HK would adopt the principle of “one country, two systems,” retaining its capitalistic economy, currency, legal, and judiciary systems under the common law.  

Although in 2007 the Chinese government decided to allow Hong Kong to elect its own Chief Executive through universal suffrage from 2017, during August of last year, it set substantial limitations on this process.

• Not only did it disallow civil nominations, but political candidates now required a majority support from the nominating committee, composed of 1200 members loyal to the Chinese government, which restricts the people of Hong Kong to candidates preapproved by China. The promise of democracy and independence was shattered.

How would you feel if Western’s Board of Directors preselected 2 candidates for Ivey’s presidential election, and only then would you be able to vote for one of those two people? What would you do if Queen’s imposed that restriction on us?

Demonstrations, also known as the Umbrella movement, started outside the HK gov’t headquarters, and more than a 100,000 occupied several major city intersections. Even university students like you and I boycotted against classes and joined the crowd in forming barricades against authority and breaching government offices.

• The police violently responded with batons, pepper spray, tear gas, and even rubber bullets, injuring and arresting hundreds. Although the government requested time to revaluate the policy, this was ignored by the protesters and the issue is yet to be resolved. Mitesh will now present our recommendations to the HK gov’t.