HK shouldn’t miss China’s rise
▶ Nation’s success inspires many across the globe
For both leisure and work assignments, I have been on the road – or more precisely in the air – for the past few weeks, travelling from Asia to Europe to Africa. While the endless flight hours and constant changes in time zones were a challenge, what really bothered me throughout my journey was one question:
When many around the world draw inspiration from China’s success story, why are some in Hong Kong trying to destroy it rather than preserving it? After all, they are also Chinese and they should be part of that story.
When a fellow passenger in a lounge in the busy airport in Doha, capital of Qatar asked me “what they are not happy about?” pointing to violent protests shown on the Al Jazeera news channel. I was caught off guard and couldn’t come up with a quick answer, even though I had left Hong Kong earlier that day after covering the protests for several days.
“I don’t really know,” I said. And that is an honest answer. I know they started off as protests against an extradition bill, which was grossly misinterpreted. But after that it wasn’t clear. The protesters talk about more autonomy, but Hong Kong already enjoys a very high degree of autonomy under the “one country, two systems” mechanism.
No clear, achievable goal, but they continue their protests and try to cripple the city.
What’s also concerning was that I found that many in the city hold vastly twisted and negative views about the Chinese mainland – ones we have seen so often in some Western media reports.
In Hong Kong, if you speak Putonghua, the official dialect in the country, you could be beaten by violent protesters or get an unfriendly stare from a waitress at a restaurant. They have defaced China’s national emblems and shouted insulting slogans about the mainland.
It was a surreal experience that left me in disbelief because I never travelled to anywhere that is so unfriendly toward me because I was from the Chinese mainland. Anywhere I travel these days, locals are often very friendly and are genuinely interested in China.
In Demark, a waiter said he was a “big fan of Chinese culture” so much so that he even got tattoos with Chinese symbols and wished that he could visit China soon.
In Botswana, the friendly attitude toward China came from all corners: Its government is working to strengthen ties with China; businesses seek opportunities with China; locals want jobs at Chinese companies.
A university student in the resort town of Kasane told me that she and most her friends dream of going to study in China.
It seems many in Hong Kong are more inclined to believe whatever Western officials and media outlets say, so here I quote a legendary US President John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”