Hong Kong finds its way of life has changed under its new security law
Lesson summary
Here we are again for another Plain English lesson. I’m Jeff, JR is your producer, and this is lesson number 282. You can find the full lesson at PlainEnglish.com/282.
Coming up today: We’ll revisit the topic we discussed in Lesson 270. At that time, China had announced it would impose a new national security law on Hong Kong. They did indeed do that: and Hong Kong has been living with that new law for about a month. Today’s expression is “a safe haven.” We also have a quote of the week.
Hong Kong’s new security law
It was worse than even many pessimists had feared. The Chinese government inserted a new national security law into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution on the night of June 30. Hong Kong’s officials—let alone its citizens—had not seen the law until just hours before it took effect.
The eighteen-page document immediately changes Hong Kong’s way of life. Hong Kong has been living under an arrangement called “One Country, Two Systems,” which we talked about in Lesson 270 . The two systems refers to a more open, free society in Hong Kong, while mainland China is more tightly controlled by its Communist Party.
The new law asserts Beijing’s power over people who engage in sedition, subversion, acts of terrorism, things like that. Sedition is trying to organize people to rise up against a government. Subversion is trying to work against the interests of your government. Many countries have laws against such acts, including many democracies. The difference is the interpretation of the words.
Hong Kongers are on notice that Beijing may interpret almost any negative message as subversion under the law. On the first day, police arrested a man for carrying a banner calling for independence for Hong Kong. A group of people at a shopping mall held up blank pieces of paper; police came, told them they were in violation of the new national security law, arrested eight people, searched others, and sent the rest home. Books by democracy activists have been removed from libraries.
A public opinion polling agency published a survey that found 60 percent of residents no longer believe Hong Kong is a free city. As if to prove their point, police confiscated the computers of the polling agency, accusing them of “dishonest use of computers.” Students have been cautioned not to talk about political topics in school. Residents and shop owners have started tearing down posters and artwork that have innocent messages, fearing they will be accused of subversion. One café owner tore down artwork that said, “We create our own destiny,” afraid the police would arrest her for subversion. She said she feels under constant pressure now, like there’s an invisible hand over her mouth.
The law allows Beijing to establish a special office of national security in Hong Kong. The law also permits China to send Hong Kong residents to mainland China to stand trial under the mainland criminal justice system, which has far fewer protections for defendants than the system Hong Kong has enjoyed.
The law makes no distinction about the place in which a speaker is located. Foreign citizens who criticize Beijing could be arrested at any time in China or in Hong Kong. An activist could write pro-democracy articles in Canada, for example, and then be arrested while making a flight connection in the Hong Kong airport.
Hong Kong has long been seen as a safe haven from mainland China’s much more repressive political system. Academics, journalists, artists, and activists are all now re-considering their ability to speak and act freely in Hong Kong.
Many western media companies have their Asian bureaus in Hong Kong. This is starting to worry media outlets; they fear that their independent journalism will fall foul of the new law in the future. The New York Times announced it would move its entire Asian digital staff—about one third of its headcount—from Hong Kong to Seoul, South Korea. Other media outlets are considering similar moves.
The US responded by revoking Hong Kong’s special trading status. Under the previous arrangement, goods manufactured in Hong Kong were not subject to the same tariffs and restrictions as good made on mainland China. The practical effects will be limited, however, since most of Hong Kong’s exports are services, like media and finance. The US is exploring other options, including sanctions.
The Australian government advised its citizens not to go to Hong Kong due to the new law. They also said they would extend the visas of any Hong Kongers currently in Australia, including many students, and offer them a path to Australian citizenship. They suspended their extradition treaty with Hong Kong. China accused them of “gross interference” with their internal affairs.
Britain is going a step further. Hong Kong had been a British colony until the UK handed sovereignty over Hong Kong to China in 1997. At the time, China agreed to maintain the One Country, Two Systems model for fifty years; it kept its word for just twenty-three. Britain feels a weight of responsibility for the fate of Hong Kong citizens.
Britain is offering up to three million Hong Kong residents the chance to move to Britain and eventually gain citizenship. That goes for people who are already in Britain, but crucially, for people who hold British National Overseas passports, but who live in Hong Kong. These passport holders were living in Hong Kong at the time of the handover. The opportunity to move permanently to Britain is also expected to be available to the kids and dependents of those British passport holders. There will be no quota or limit on the number of people who can take that offer and applicants will be exempt from many of Britain’s normally strict immigration rules.
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An article I read said this about the new law. It said, “The world is entitled to be shocked by these developments, but not surprised.” The world is entitled to be shocked, but not surprised. Indeed.
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