One Country, Two Nationalities

Callista Wilson
Mr. Roddy
Global Politics and Historical Contexts
27 October 2019
The article, One Country, Two Nationalities, discusses how people in Hong Kong are reacting to mainland China’s growing oversight through demonstrations, separation within the region, and a growing sense that being a Hong Konger and being Chinese may no longer be synonymous. It is explained that people within the city are becoming and less trusting of immigrants and tourists from the mainland, because they are causing work to become scarce, living prices to increase, and a threat to the consistency of Cantonese culture. Also, many Hong Kongers wish to isolate themselves from China’s undemocratic leadership, and strive for more autonomy, while others do not believe in acting against the police during protests, which has led to divisions within many families.    

 When reading this article, I found it interesting to think about how Hong Kong’s history as a British colony allowed the region to become prosperous through capitalist influence, however, now that Hong Kong is an administrative region of China, it seems that the mainland’s influence is doing the opposite, and decreasing the living standards of the people. For example, the article claims that after Hong Kong became a region within China, “newly rich Chinese [people] poured money into local real estate” and as a result of the increase in housing prices in Hong Kong, “wages stalled or declined. What [people living in Hong Kong] made bought far less. Many became less well-off than their parents had been.” For these reasons, I believe it makes sense that Hong Kongers feel differently about their identity relative to the rest of China, however, I also believe that the most optimal course of action is not rooted in division or separate nationalities. 

The strength of a hypothetically independent Hong Kong is questionable due to the economic interdependence between them and the mainland. Also, although protests have been helping to attract national attention toward the housing issues, and the non-democratic leadership which Hong Kong is facing, demonstrations can either inspire progress or cause damaging divisions. For this reason it may be best for Hong Kong to remain an administrative region of China, however, the “one country, two systems” agreement needs to be upheld for the sake of Hong Kong’s economic future, and to support the living standards of all the regions residents, despite their background.   

 Reference: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/27/world/asia/hong-kong-protests-identity.html  


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