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Who was Hong Kong returned to?

Posted by Joel Martinsen, July 2, 2007 6:00 PM

A "call and response" via Huang Yilong:

Who was Hong Kong returned to? (a call-and-response essay)

Call: In the present world, a united country should at least allow freedom of movement for the people within its borders, and freedom of circulation for printed material and radio & TV. If even a "quasi-nation" like the European Union has accomplished the free flow of information, the free movement of people, the free circulation of printed material and radio & TV, then why not a true nation! But this is something that cannot be done for Hong Kong and the mainland. All of this - can Hong Kong truly be said to have returned? Has it really become a part of the People's Republic of China?

--- Zhang Yunruo, Hong Kong - has it really returned?, 2007.6.18

Response: What Mr. Zhang discusses is just one part; allow me to add a second:

Hong Kong has indeed returned, it has returned to those who see it as their own backyard - the rich dudes who go back and forth practically every day. Officials like Liu Jinbao, and certain princelings and maidens. There, their every wish is granted and they do what they please - such comfort! A few newspapers, a couple books - what does that matter?

So perhaps Mr. Zhang's true question should be: Hong Kong - to whom has it returned?

--- Huang Yilong, 7.1

There are currently 8 Comments for Who was Hong Kong returned to?.

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Comments on Who was Hong Kong returned to?

I can't agree more with Mr. Zhang. The 10th anniversary of HK's return was just celebrated, with so many achievements listed by state media. But as an ordinary Chinese, I'm not so excited on this occasion. I believe many ordinary Chinese have the same question in their mind: Was HK really returned to China? Does the city's return matter to them???

Posted by: Simon | July 2, 2007 10:09 PM

HKers must be constantly be debating who was the better manager? The foreign devils from UK who built the institutions that HKers used to make their city great or their ethnic brothers that only bring oppression, filth and bad behavior?

HK would probably like to team up with Macau and become a democratic Singapore.

Posted by: nanheyangrouchuan | July 3, 2007 12:09 AM

在XX主义的大前提下
包括香港在内的中国是没有希望的

Posted by: Heey | July 3, 2007 8:41 AM

在民主的前提下,美國已無望

Posted by: Phillip | July 3, 2007 4:12 PM

Seeing as the People's Republic of China did not exist in 1841 when Hong Kong was ceded to the UK, there is certainly no way it has been "returned". Perhaps it is better to refer to the unification of the PRC and Hong Kong (note it is not the re-unification).

Posted by: Martin | July 3, 2007 5:05 PM

As one country, the people should have the right to freely travel everywhere in the country. But the turth is that hongkong and mainland were divided with Visa. we can't travel to hongkong as convenient as we travel to beijing. It is indeed a question!
Why the officals restrict the people in freedom of movement in its border

Posted by: Jon | July 3, 2007 5:32 PM

I was really pissed off few years ago when I had to join a tourist group to get a pass to HK while my real purpose to go there was so righteous and simple-- to pick up my immigration document at Canadian embassy in HK.

I wish every ordinary Chinese could travel to HK freely. However, will HK be flooded by those who seek better lives from the mainland if the gate is open without any constraints?

Maybe it wouldn't be that bad just like everything is working fine now after Beijing abandoned its temporary-stay-license policy. But I can't be sure. As for many practical issues in China, I just think the solutions won't be easy, at least not as they seem when we are in outrage.

Posted by: Lu | July 5, 2007 2:17 AM

Just wait ten more years and we could give then more conclusions - Look at the pace of Europe through reunification to European Union - same money - free barriers etc. - It takes a long time to make a real reunification with real changes

Posted by: AdmanGo China | July 9, 2007 11:58 AM