The Ego Death of Hong Kong
What gives a city a personality?
The slowburn of Hong Kong’s transformation has been a persistent ache in the hearts of its remainers and leavers. Ultimately, the inevitable changes beg the question of whether the region was better off unstable yet free, or caged yet secure. As the pro-democratic movements that seized the streets and highways were lost amidst the Covid chaos and quickly buried, efficient measures to assimilate the once disobedient state with its motherland have since marched on.
From migration policies, to security measures and even attitudes of locals, the spirit of this city is undergoing an extensive rebrand. It appears a colourful era is coming to a close, yet memories are kept alive in the passion of sentimental diaspora, sharing time capsules of their home as they knew it.
Leavers and Leftovers
Most of the discussion around Hong Kong’s migration has been of those leaving. Hong Kongers over the last 5 years have emigrated en masse to Canada, Australia and the UK most notably (Chan, et. al. 2022). Host countries have welcomed the influx through policies facilitating movement. The British Nationals Overseas (BN(O)) scheme, launched in 2021, has encouraged one of the largest influxes in British history (Yue 2023), and not without consequence. A drastic and detrimental workforce shortage of 180,000 workers (HKFP, Ho, 2024) has demanded the CCP to conjure an attractive migration policy of their own, targeting ‘talent’ to fill the gaps; Launched in December of 2022, the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS), grants highly-educated Chinese youth a two-year work visa with promise of an extension if permanent employment is acquired. With 21.3% of 16-24 year olds inactive in employment in the mainland, the talent scheme seems to be tackling two birds with one stone. Unemployed and unmotivated Chinese graduates are now in high demand, redirected towards high paying opportunities and rich futures.
The TTPS “received more than 100,000 applications within its first six months, two-thirds of which were approved” (Yu, 2024), contributing to the growth of the total population; from -0.91% in 2022 to +2.5% in 2023 (World Bank, 2024). Ultimately, the population shuffle reveals a skillful and strategic step being taken to reform Hong Kong’s demographic anatomy, balancing opportunity and necessity.
Hong Kong: Population growth from 2013 to 2023, (O’neil 2024, Statista)
The Readjustments and Renovations
Democracy
After years of democracy in a legitimacy crisis, apparent through multiple uprisings and persistent falling numbers of electoral participants with a record low voter turnout of 27.5%(), the exit of dysphoric Hong Kongers and their respective mainland (born-and-raised) replacements have shifted the city’s demographics. A population shuffle of this size not only dilutes existing sentiments, but also supplies future democratic decisions with the ‘demos’ needed to re-legitimise it. Chief Executive John Lee publicly commended voters after the first “patriots only” district council elections in December 2023, which ended with a legitimate, yet ironically record-low turnout (Al Jazeera 2023). “It is the last piece of the puzzle for us to implement the principles of patriots governing Hong Kong.” Over 10,000 deployed police officers oversaw the security of these elections, no doubt exterminating sedition and detaining any troublemakers. It seems Hong Kong will continue to be a democracy after all.
Photo: Edmond So
Autonomy and privacy
Another aspect upholding the transition involves law enforcement through increased police presence and CCTV surveillance. The former British colony, having foreign governance for 100 years, treasures its unique, extended rights that are restricted in the mainland. However, the rapid measures to guarantee security and accelerate assimilation have dismantled the supposed free and fair elections and freedom of press, set to be reconstructed to maximise patriotism where it is lacking. Hong Kong Police announced the installation of “2,000 new surveillance cameras this year, and potentially more than that each subsequent year” (CNN, Yeung, 2024). Facial recognition technology and AI are among some of the more sophisticated monitoring systems used to oversee and safeguard the city, especially tracking airport traffic flows. Despite this seemingly excessive level of supervision, Hong Kong’s network is significantly less than that of the UK's 7 million security cameras. Though with the city consistently ranking amongst the safest in the world, the sharp increase is unlikely related to tackling crime, but rather an extension of enforced obedience (CNN, Yeung, 2024). Citizens must adjust to the realities of a pervasive quotidien, as privacy is now a luxury of the past.
Internationality
From its traditional cuisines, to its transport and infrastructure, Hong Kong is a fusion of cultures — Chinese, Portuguese, and British most noticeably — and epitomises a futuristic and eccentric city. The city’s record of high prosperity was undoubtedly ignited by international businesses, using Hong Kong as an ideal hub for headquarters and profitable branches. This haven of diversity and modernity not only had strong western ties, but also served as a gateway into China, making it an irresistible anchor point for accessing Asia (Maizland & Fong, 2024). Despite the extraordinary economic success in the early 21st century, the aftermath of political instability has left prosperity plummeting, with growth rates at an all time low and anxious international clients rethinking and relocating to more promising, equivalent megacities (BBC 2024). With the global title of the “Darling Capital” stripped away, Hong Kong has lost its allure and with it, its international footing.
Hong Kong’s “One party two systems” is set to officially end in 2047, where the motherland regains full reign, though it seems, on its current trajectory, that full reign has been the reality for some time. Technicalities in the “Basic Law” articles assert the region was never fully democratic (gov.hk), and the increased unity with the motherland is a righteous and stable destiny. The fog of time has settled, muffling voices of the past that younger generations, having been raised in a censored and curated environment, have lost the ear for. Hong Kongers have seen one era come to a close and a new one begins. The only way forward in the rapid flow of time is clear; be fluid, be water.
Acceptance or disillusionment?
Talk of the rise of authoritarianism has loomed over contemporary political debates with global levels of democracy on its 17th consecutive year of decline (Freedom House, 2023). The collective disillusionment diffuses through the youth of Hong Kong, where resistance is almost extinct - It appears more pragmatic to embrace the benefits that a controlled and unified regime provides. Stephanie Hai writes, “It’s clear that more and more youth are migrating to the Mainland in response to employment benefits, while those remaining in Hong Kong are increasingly attracted to Shenzhen’s commercial allure” (UCL Asiatic Affairs 2024). The mainland’s material attraction is a major voluntary step taken towards cultural interaction and integration which, until this point, was particularly controversial.
On the other hand, Hong Kong’s diaspora, tending to be more politically charged, are left to mourn their home from the safety of foreign sanctuaries. As outside observers, their flame is not yet entirely extinguished, displaying passionate and resilient devotion in curious ways.
Among these projects of nostalgia is Leeds City Museum’s, “HongKongers in the UK—A Journey of Hope and Resilience”. This exhibition sees the work of 5 Hong Kong artists, portraying their experiences on canvas. Newfound freedom in more democratic and liberal nations has unleashed once-stifled frustrations, transforming them into expressions of remarkable creativity and beauty. The cathartic and emotive pieces have not only facilitated a sense of community and healing for artists and audiences alike, but also continues the spread of empathy and awareness in host countries where immigration is met with varying levels of hostility.
Last words
Fundamental aspects of Hong Kong’s personality are undergoing a cull in its fateful transition, that when 2047 rolls around, the handover will be effortless and indistinct. As political discontent becomes a whisper or sigh amongst everyday annoyances, Hong Kongers no longer see reason to rampage their daily lives with chaos and instability, instead, they hope for a peaceful future in a city that, whilst different, is home. If existing only in memory, the spirit of Hong Kong is held warmly in the hearts of its people—in the writing of countless articles like this one, in nostalgia-fueled art shows, and among the subtle voices of those who still demand change.
Bibliography
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Note that opinions expressed in the above article do not represent the stance of Asiatic Affairs committee members, Students' Union UCL or University College London. If you have read something you would like to respond to, please get in touch with uclasiaticaffairs@gmail.com.