At an event to mark the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to China, Chinese president Xi Jinping (習近平) — who is also Chinese Communist Party (CCP) general secretary and chairman of the Central Military Commission, with power over the nation’s government as well as its military — shamelessly bragged about Hong Kong’s “world-recognized achievements.”
His words served as an ironic contrast to Hong Kongers’ calls for independence.
Under British colonial rule, Hong Kong became very different from China. As a result, the Chinese government had no choice but to promote the “one country, two systems” framework when it took over the territory.
However, now that the territory has become a part of China, Beijing completely reneged upon its promise. The territory has since become difficult for Hong Kongers to live in: While some decided to leave, some stayed in the hope of changing things for the better.
Fifty-two years before Hong Kong’s handover, Taiwan celebrated its return to China after World War II ended 50 years of Japanese rule in the region. Following its defeat by the CCP in China, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) fled to Taiwan and occupied the former Japanese colony.
Under the KMT, Taiwanese have endured the 228 Massacre, the White Terror era and the decades-long Martial Law period and eventually realized that they needed to take control of their own destiny — and that was the beginning of Taiwanese independence movement.
Both Taiwan and Hong Kong were severed from China during the Qing Dynasty and ceded to Japan and Britain, respectively. Under Japanese and British colonial rule, Taiwan and Hong Kong became very different from China.
A major difference between China’s political system — as seen in the KMT and CCP governments — and that of Japan’s and Britain’s is the latter’s adherence to the rule of the law. The rule of law is a basic requirement for civilized nations. That China, which claims to be the motherland of Taiwan and Hong Kong, fails to meet this basic requirement has made it impossible for Taiwanese and Hong Kongers to identify with it.
Beijing’s feelings toward Taiwan and Hong Kong are mixed with bitterness, as it resents that they have been ruled by foreign nations.
Despite euphemisms such as “the recovery of Taiwan” or Hong Kong’s “return to the motherland,” the KMT and Beijing really thought of Taiwan and Hong Kong as places to conquer.
However, the legal and judicial systems that developed in Taiwan and Hong Kong during their colonial eras have made it difficult for the successor to do whatever it wanted. The new government’s complete disregard for law soon sparked outrage among Taiwanese and Hong Kongers.
China’s political culture is rotten to the core. In the name of “recovering” and “returning to the motherland,” both Taiwan and Hong Kong have fallen into the hands of authoritarians. Despite Beijing’s attempts to create the illusion that China, Taiwan and Hong Kong are one country, they are fundamentally different from each other.
The more civilized way would be to allow Taiwan and Hong Kong to become separate nations while remaining a part of the Chinese cultural circle.
China is enormous. It does not need Taiwan and Hong Kong, as one is a small island and the other is a small peninsula. If Beijing would let them become independent, it might feel relieved and even be able to improve its international reputation. Moreover, the Han culture that connects them would continue to thrive in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Lee Min-yung is a poet.
Translated by Tu Yu-an
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