With the 25 th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong, a visit by Xi to Hong Kong signifies a bleaker future for Hong Kong.
Xi arrived in the Special Administrative Region on the 30 th of June amidst a crowd of people waving the Hong Kong and Chinese national flag. He was greeted by chants of “welcome, welcome” by the spectators and was walking on red carpets escorted by top Hong Kong government officials. The arrival of Xi was to attend the inauguration of the sixth-term Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and to celebrate the 25 th Handover anniversary.
On the 1 st of July, the official 25 th Handover anniversary began, with officers using the signature Chinese military ‘goose-step’ marching style instead of the traditional British marching style in the flag-raising ceremony.
Xi then officiated the swearing-in of Hong Kong’s new Chief Executive, John Lee Ka-Chiu.
Xi soon after delivered a 32-minute speech and urged Hong Kong to accurately implement the ‘One-Country, Two systems’ policy into practice, with local citizens “respecting and safeguarding the fundamental system of the country consciously.” The Chairman also claimed Hong Kong could only be ‘governed well’ if the ‘full sovereignty’ of Beijing and Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy aligned with each other. Hong Kong must implement ‘patriots ruling Hong Kong’ he added, with power at the hands of those who are loyal to the CCP.
Xi then went on and claimed the Special Administrative Region should improve its governance by recruiting ‘resolutely patriotic’ talent and should establish a revolutionary ambience of “daring to take responsibility and doing good deeds”. The Chinese leader further stated that Hong Kong must lead teenagers to ‘deeply understand’ China’s development, “enhance national pride” and instill a sense of “being the protagonist”.
Xi’s words have signified Hong Kong will face an even darker future with less freedoms such as freedom of speech and freedom of the press, as well as less academic and political freedom. Children would be brainwashed to unapologetically love the Chinese state and freedom-loving teenagers would not be given a voice in Hong Kong.
The handover of Hong Kong was only a transfer of colonial power to another colonizer. We are only living under another boot, and the celebration of the 25 th anniversary of the Handover only means the boot would crush us even harder.
This letter is from a reader. Feel strongly about this letter, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us at [email protected]. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification.
Thank you!
