‘One Country, Two Nationalisms’: The Identity Crisis Behind Hong Kong’s Turmoil

Mainlanders are calling Hong Kongers “Cockroaches”. Propaganda is unceasingly trumping up derogatory accusations of Hong Kong leaders and activists. Hong Kongers are denigrated as beneficiaries that had taken decades of advantage of China, while Hong Kong has served China as a key entrepôt, a trading partner, a global offshore Renminbi business hub and one of the most important capital-raising centers for China since Deng Xiaoping opened up China’s moribund economic system to the world in 1978. Since 1993, Mainland companies have raised more than US$800 billion via stock offerings in Hong Kong. To rescue Mainlanders, Hong Kong donated HK$9 billion since 2008 to help Sichuan rebuild after a magnitude 8 earthquake killed more than 80,000, injured 370,000 and left 4.8 million homeless. The Li Ka Shing Foundation, Hong Kong’s largest charity, provided a grant of $1 billion to establish the Technion Guangdong Institute of Technology in Shantou, Guangdong Province. What’s behind the turmoil is not just economic disparity or identity crisis—it is grievances that generations of Hong Kongers’ contribution to China failed to win Hong Kongers their rights to a government that serve their interests.

A fascinating angle, to be sure, but it skirts the central issue: why have Hong Kong wages stalled and housing become unaffordable when, across the border, home ownership just passed 90% and wages have doubled since 2010? Could it be that Hong Kong is mirroring its surrogate mother country, Britain, whose rank and file are suffering identical hardships? After all, Hong Kong has British democracy, its Chief Executive and her family are British citizens, its laws are British, its judges are British, its police are British and its official language is English.

The turmoil in Hong Kong is hardly just because of identity crisis. Police raptor squads impersonate radical protestors. Civilians and protestors were terrorized on July 21 and August 31st, covered up by the government. This explains why Hong Kongers are demanding more than withdrawal of the extradition bill. The coalescence of Pro-China gangs and Hong Kong police force Hong Kongers to confront the rising patriotism and Mao’s influence in China. Since June 2018, Beijing has developed four tactics called “Four Forwards” mandating religious organizations to include activities such as flag raising, reciting anthem and teaching Xi Jinping’s thoughts. The Chinese government has reportedly replaced church displays of the 10 Commandments with portraits of Mao Tse-tung and Xi Jinping, and all activities be monitored by CCTV. Xi is leading the harshest campaign against faith since the end of the Cultural Revolution. It’s also puzzling for the world to see Jack Ma and Pony Ma willingly let the state take over their business. Besides oppression of religious freedoms, Chinese state has been increasing its grip on private businesses in China and China’s economy through domestic laws, admin guidelines, unspoken regulations and internal party committees since Xi Jinping took power in 2012. Hong Kongers are united in their hearts. They are fighting for civil liberty and political reform, not just for themselves, but for Tibetans, Uyghurs and all the ethnic minorities in China.

This article is a good example of implicit bias. Influx of mainlanders resulted in housing shortage and inflation of cost of living had certainly caused psychological distress — but the big cleft between Mainlanders and Hong Kongers is far beyond the economic disparity or clash in language and way of life. The threat that the Mainlanders poses on Hong Kongers is very much the same as the threat China is posing on the world. Xi Jinping’s China Dream to dominate the world by Sinicization, nationalization of business and insertion of orthodox patriotic ideology to mainlanders through education, state run-media and propaganda, and his suppression of press, media and civil liberty have far larger impact on the civil movement.

I respect the Hong Kong people very much. They somehow blend the ancient Chinese traditional culture and the western cultures perfectly, so they are really the Global citizens. I also feel sad: young people are facing so many challenges in Hong Kong, especially from the family: parents are not on the same side...but i think it is also part of the Chinese culture, Chinese parents showing love in subtle ways, but at the bottom of their hearts, they still love their children. I hope the Hong Kong youth believe so. Be happy and be proud of yourself...

What a pleasure to read this very well researched piece on what is truly going on in Hong Kong and what led to the protests since 1997. Every article on the Hong Kong protests in the Times receives comments from people who have no knowledge of Hong Kong's history - both as a British ruled colony and how it changed after 1997. Most comments revealed superficial cries of "democracy" and even the fact that the protesters were labeled the "pro-democracy" side reflected ignorance that this article dispels. Thank you for publishing this report. Hong Kong's identity is struggling - the divide between the young and old is also evident. This will take time and the protesters are not patient.

People who have experienced individual freedom often will sacrifice economic well being to keep or achieve freedom. To conflate discontent with economic disparities missed the point. We see similarities in the West where cultures and ways of life are threatened by globalization and open borders that potentially offer economic prosperity but come with unacceptable costs. Apologists for CCP are frightening.

Long, long ago Hong Kong was overshadowed by many much larger more vibrant Chinese cities rich in Chinese history, culture, arts, languages and education. Hong Kong ranks nowhere near China’s top tier 1 cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Or Chinese cities like Chengdu, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Chongqing, Nanjing, Tianjin, Suzhou, Xi'an, Changsha, Shenyang, Qingdao, Zhengzhou, Dalian, Dongguan, Ningbo. Hong Kong has nothing to offer its citizens except high rents and expensive food and it has nothing to offer the world. Hong Kong is not a tourist attraction. It is not an industrial center. It is not rich in Chinese history. It is not a gateway to or from China. It is not a center for higher education and learning. Hong Kong is just a medium size Chinese city of 7 million people in a country of more than 1.4 billion people.

Identity is rooted in education. I doubt a young guy would like to admit he is a Chinese when the education he received is English Colonial style... One country two system can't survive if no compromise in between. The only option left is to fight hard to become independent, but the issue is HK can't survive by itself. My 2yr old always fight hard to get the feedom to touch the electric socket, and don't understand why he can't, sigh

Why Hong Kongers and Mainlanders are different? My Mainland friends open my eyes to the world of fakeness they grew up with. I learn why everyone rushes to Hong Kong to shop— fear of counterfeit products. Malamine was once found in China-made baby formula, causing death and life-long sickness to children. In China, the farmers themselves avoid the food they grow because of pesticides and fertilizer contamination. The upper class in China trust only foreign-made and foreign brands and send their children abroad for education. Xi Jinping sent his daughter to Harvard. Most immigrants from China came to America as sojourners for money, free education and the welfare system—eventually stay even though China has better job opportunities. Because once you tasted freedom, it’s hard to give up. Chinese immigrants cherish the air they can breathe properly. They want their children to grow up in a country that has a proper legal system where people can have a vote. My friends often complain that there’s a moral decline in China. People are trying to make money by whatever means it takes. This recklessness is because of a government’s inability to govern the country by putting in place a fair system that serve people’s interest and needs. Like what’s happening in Hong Kong— instead of giving up an unwelcome bill quickly to restore stability, the communist party dragged it out, resorting to violent policing, irrational propaganda war and turning Chinese people against each other.

In the name of serving the interests and values of the Han Chinese population, the Communist party asserts their right to control all organized religion in China—Xi is following Mao’s footprints by waging war against all faith. There are 600 Taoist and Buddhist temples, shrines and monasteries, as well as five cathedrals and 1500 churches in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is home to 1 million Buddhists, over 1 million Taoists, 480,000 Protestants, 379,000 Catholics, 300,000 Muslims. About 50 percent of schools in Hong Kong were started by Christian churches. That’s why millions of protestors marched on the street and there are many Christians among pro-democracy leaders. Pastors and believers risk their lives to shield the frontline youth. Elders parent the young activists as their own children. Volunteers bus and pick up. Citizens work together to provide meals, subway cards and gears. Doctors are treating injuries. Lawyers are fighting for their rights. Educators are supporting their students. Social workers are counseling— most importantly, letting these frontline youth know they aren't alone. Hong Kongers are not divisive. Parents of radical activists try to stop their children out of love, not because they disagree with them. What is under the turmoil in Hong Kong is powerful unity and yearning for freedoms.

One of the better articles on the HK situation. For decades HK was the gateway to China and HKers looked down on the poor and backward mainlanders. Now HKers feel this is reversing. It is like the US/Mexico immigrant issue, but the immigrants are richer than the locals, buying property, working harder and earning more money at white collar jobs, and taking your slots in the good schools. The rich established folks don’t care, but the young struggling do. Indeed, the last few years have been unprecedented in human history with a fast and massive increase of Chinese wealth which often is used to buy property abroad and immigrate. What is the future of HK identity? Would the big property tycoons agree to limit foreign purchases of property like Australia and NZ have? Would they agree to increase housing supply and decrease prices? Can immigration be slowed? China won’t bite on the trolling and commit Tiananmen 2.0 and is happy to let HK self destruct and let Shenzhen / Shanghai rise. In reality the average HKer is much richer than the average Chinese. And the best path in HK may be to work with or in the Chinese market. No wall will built here.

“In the United States, American identity is a given,” Not so much. As I was reading this, I was thinking of my own interactions with family. Fault lines are emerging here as well. Immigrants are being blamed for things they have nothing to do with, and there is a total lack of "common ground" between Democrats and Republicans -- not that the 2 parties are at equal blame. Each side sees the other as anti-American.

This looks much like the USA ..... a forward-thinking young (and sometimes old in body but young at heart) progressive generation who has a vision and a future to protect and cherish, vs. an authoritarian backward-thinking manipulative and corrupt old guard whose interests are to protect their narrow status quo.

Identity is a polite word for income/standard of living From the South China Morning Post, December 2018: Hong Kong university graduates take home less pay than counterparts 30 years ago and one in six ends up in unskilled job, study finds Median monthly starting salary of university graduate was HK$14,395 last year, compared with HK$20,231 in 1987“ How can that be ? Immigration from the mainland where wages are much lower has led to a stream of educated people willing to work for less. Much less Meanwhile, rents have sky rocketed. The educated young of Hong Kong see no future. And it is not going to get better Economic reality is that once you have free movement of people wages in HK must fall to lower ones in mainland China

Belittling Hong Kongers' democratic aspirations because they have economic grievances, as some commenters have done, is about as cogent as saying that the founding generation of the United States was not really interested in freedom, just fed up with taxation by the British.

Today China. Tomorrow Hong Kong. State police has draconian power to purge those who challenge Xi Jinping’s dream of absolute conformity. Chinese Government in the mainland uses massive indoctrination, excessive censorship and propaganda to force Xi Jinping’s Chinese values and patriotism into people's head. Indiscriminating surveillance, sophisticated facial recognition and social credit system are used to scrutinize citizens and force obedience. “You’re not allowed to believe in God. If you want to believe in something, then believe in the Communist Party,” is the proverbial phrase CCP officials use while shutting down houses of worship in the Mainland. Hong Kong is home to millions of worshippers of various religions. What’s behind the turmoil in Hong Kong is not just economic disparity or identity crisis, but raw fear that Hong Kongers will soon lose their eroding freedoms entirely.

Martin Lee said it best in public. You can be proud to be Chinese. Of course, but you can also be proud to be part of Hong Kong. Being proud to be Chinese in Hong Kong OR China does not necessarily mean you have to be completely obedient to the CCP. Love your fatherland does not necessarily mean you have to love the one party. The brainwashing today should be something everyone should worry in Hong Kong and China. but something the News media might not know. The CCP is constantly engaging in slowly wiping out the rich culture that existed in Hong Kong for the last 60 yrs. A few glaring examples are the language requirement for public servants to express fluency in Mandarin and the constantly re-engineering of the Chinese language into "simplified" words. This implicit uprooting of cultures is what every Hong Kong citizens should worry about.

What isn't ever mentioned in the western media's coverage of Hong Kong is the deep-seated self-hatred that many Hong Kongers harbor towards their own Chinese blood. Hong Kong is still deeply affected by British colonialism even after the official handoff -- white beauty standards, English being held up as the "classy" language, and Mandarin being denigrated as "low class" are still rampant cultural ideas in Hong Kong. These are the heartbreaking results of western colonialism that don't get talked about -- the absolute dissolution of self-love in the subjugated peoples. I would suggest confidently that that western brainwashing and absence of self-love motivates many of these protesters who are waving around British flags and claiming they "aren't really Chinese."

American identity is not a given. In fact, the debate over who is really “American” is driving apart American society. Americans shouldn’t be so smug in thinking that their country is healthy compared to Hong Kong.

While this article does a good job of illuminating some of the issues underlying the Hong Kong protests, I think it is disingenuous to claim that these protests are solely driven by an identity crisis. Why is it so difficult to believe that Hong Kongers may genuinely desire a free and democratic government? Why can't liberty be a worthy enough cause in and of itself? To be frank, the reticence of some in the West to call the Hong Kong protests what they are - a democratic movement - may be due to contamination of the word "freedom" with Bush-era rhetoric. But for many around the world, this freedom does not exist. For other people who already enjoy some degree of freedom - like Hong Kongers - it seems they are willing to fight tooth and nail to prevent giving up these rights. Finally, a not-insignificant number of comments here seem to push CCP (Chinese Communist Party) talking points. Namely, that the protests are driven by economic anxieties and a Hong Kong "sense of superiority". Might be better to actually listen to what Hong Kongers are saying about their reasons for protesting, particularly their five demands. To other readers, please be aware that the CCP has launched a massive disinformation campaign on youtube, twitter, and facebook. It would be naive to believe that the NYT has been spared from this campaign. Remember to read all comments with a critical eye. (Yes, even this one)

This is the first meaningful report on Hong Kong's violent outbreak in NY Times. It avoided the trap of western media's confirmation bias about pro-democracy slogans. Identity crises of the protesters is the prime culprit. Well done. The miscreants represent a segment of Hong Kong's population, younger, mostly born after return of the British colony to China in 1997, mainly Cantonese speaking with adequate English, educated (i.e. brainwashed) by the little changed colonial era school system & teachers, feeling hopeless about their future as they must compete with even better educated mainland Chinese who speak China's standard dialect, and no longer the poor peasant relatives of earlier time. One's identity is strongly shaped by "Ideology"- what one believes as truth. It has to be taught, brainwashed, first by parents and next by teachers & social network. You are what you believe in. Identity under threat is explosive & dangerous. That's HK's rioters. Like cult members, delusional, but with a lot of conviction. USA is feeling heat of a rapidly rising China challenging its world leadership, and is treating China as the enemy to be stopped. But the winner of the US-China war has not been decided yet. It's not the case for Hong Kong's violent protesters. In reality they already lost to mainland Chinese.Their future is looking grim. Their former hubris, superiority over mainland Chinese, is by now groundless. But they can't bring themselves to face the reality. Sad.

Economy anxiety is the due they pay for globalization. Developed regions had reaped the benefits of globalization. But they are losing their privilege when the less developed regions catch up. The very simple truth is, under free market, the logical solution is they move to poorer regions to find opportunities.

The bottom line for HK's problem is that the economic situation cannot provide new comers including the young generation for a decent housing and comfortable life. Housing is the number one issue for decent living in HK. Wealth is concentrated in the traditional HK tycoons. They own most of the private land and trading firms that traditional business thrives on. Even the majority of High Court judges are British and Australian nationalities in their 70 or 80 years left from the British colonial times. Police arrests rioters in the morning, and the judges release them in the afternoon. Ms. Carrie Lam has to provide more affordable housing to young people. Things have to change, but not by violent protests and/or destroy government buildings, public transportation, and attacking policemen. Some of the tycoons knew this already, and thus have donated significant portion of their land holdings for public housing. It is a good starting point for HK's recovery. It will take time. And HK will remain part of China for good.

If Mr. Fisher, as a young journalist, were to be told that in 2047, he would lose the right to freely exercise his profession, and indeed, the right to speak freely at all, I doubt that he would describe his dilemma as an "identity crisis."

Just a word to the people of HK, especially those trying to assure continued freedom for their future; Freedom is precious and once surrendered, is so often never regained. There are many of us who wish you the greatest success. Success requires great self discipline and lots of courage but freedom is worth every bit of it. Good Luck.

I lived in Hong Kong when it was handed back to China and was also there when China took Macau from Portugal a year and a half later. With Hong Kong China always played carefully. When they came, they did so in civilian clothes and vehicles in the quiet of the night. They took the Prince of Wales building which became the HQ for the PLA. In Macau they came at mid day with troop careers as they crossed the bridge. But from the start it was clear that there would be no sudden dropping of the two system in 50 years. That China was going down a slow path of eroding two systems into one. The extradition treaty should be seen in the context of a patient 50 year plan. Lest we forget, it was not too long ago when China kidnapped a bookseller and took him to Hong Kong. All the extradition does is eliminate covert action. Sadly for the youth of Hong Kong, the superimposition of the PRC system on the Hong Kong is a forgone conclusion. It will happen in increments. It is not one country two systems. It is one country absorbing a system. Now, that does not make me a pro Britt in any shape or fashion. The Britts didn't offer any meaningful democracy in China until such time that the could see the handover.

Thank god some objective analysis of what exactly these "Hong Kongers" are trying to protest. They are protesting loss of status, a sense of superiority, and decreasing access to resources like housing and school slots. How to solve this? Increase housing development! Build more schools! It's surreal that massive number of people are willing to protest over an extradition bill. No, what is REALLY bothering these people are their sense of superiority, especially the young, since Mainlanders are doing much better than them. These Hong Kongers are just like the working class whites that feel left behind by the urban economic boom.

Unlike their parents, these young people have never experienced poverty. Most young rioters are misguided. They hold a condescending attitude towards mainlanders. They refuse to learn Chinese history and speak Mandarin. They have little connection to China and being Chinese. Here is the fact. Hong Kong was and will always be part of China. If one truly hates China, he will be better off to live somewhere else. By the way, Nancy Pelosi or Marco Rubio only act in the interests of the US as they should be. They are not innocent bystanders in today's HK quagmire. There is a trade war going on.

Exactly what kind of nationalism is that when they are waving British flag, the former colonial master, and march to American embassy demanding the reelection of Trump and sanction of China? We have a different word for that here, and that is "treason". Wake me up when they wave Hong Kong flag. At the second thought, it is too late. They've already shown their color.

"Ni shi na guo ren?" Max Fisher must be well aware of the parallels he is drawing. He alludes to them at the end of the piece. In the Times’ soft blend of reportage and editorial, he leaves it to us readers to ask “isn’t it just somehow too bad that Hong Kong people feel this way? Behold the regrettable outcome.” In the American case it is true that mis-managed global forces have made decent people opponents in a conflict for which they didn’t sign up. In Hong Kong, though, the “Reconquista” was a formal document. As history buffs and HK film fans know, the city’s success has long included a dark underside that was rightly opposed elsewhere in China. But the tables have turned. Look at the photos. Well-groomed and literate, at once orderly and free, heart-warmingly nerdy, and above all sensitive to complexity, Hong Kong's protesters are the modern China for whom democracy is natural, the China that has every right to come home to its hard-earned glory as a responsible and innovative leader in a free world. I do not fear this China in the least. “You are what country’s person?” When I replied “Meiguo” the grizzled man hovering in the entry to the Shanghai Metro glanced cautiously about, then smiled and gave me a thumbs-up. He is already a citizen of the world. The cell phones raised in peaceful protest in Hong Kong are his thousand points of light too. You bet there are two nationalisms. I love America. I love China. How can I not root for Hong Kong?

As a frequent visitor to Hong Kong and the mainland, I think this is a pretty accurate view of the situation. From the article: “You cannot have two national identities that represent the same territory,” Mr. Yau said, adding that, in the eyes of many here, “it’s become a time when we need to choose.” I disagree with Mr. Yao. Honk Kongers do NOT have a choice. Hong Kong is part of China and the province of 8 million people does not have any of the resources needed to fight for independence from a country of 1.4 billion people with a very powerful military. Britain sold-out Hong Kongers in 1997 when the colony was returned to China. The treaty was a sham, designed to let Britain save face when surrendering the colony. Hong Kongers should certainly not expect the US to come to the rescue. That isn't going to happen. Mr. Fisher is exactly right when he suggests that the protests are less about freedom than they are about economic opportunity. China should pay attention. Improving the economic situation for Hong Kongers who have been left out of the boom will probably help a great deal.

The stark difference in the governing values that HKongers embrace (bottom up: FOR THE PEOPLE & BY THE PEOPLE) vs those by the Mainland Chinese govt (top down: BY & FOR THE RED PRINCELINGS) have been and will be making the divergence of HK from Mainland China. Look at the CREATIVITY of this movement from all walks of life and professions Vs the daily SAME REPETITIVE denouncement from the Pro-Chinese govt camp (Foreign Ministry, other HK related ministries, and pro-establishment camp). It will be challenging to see how the 2 sides will converge.

The fundamental cause of the turmoil is not difficult to understand. The unfettered capitalism experienced in Hong Kong during the past 25 years resulted in stark inequality, no social mobility and unaffordable housing. This, coupled by envy at the mainland's economic success, broke the camel's back...and the long simmering discontent erupted.

"Identity crises often begin with a loss of status. Something causes the social hierarchy to reshuffle, with some social class losing out. Its members, feeling threatened, rally behind their group identity, causing it to feel more important just as it is also in doubt.” The same is going on in the United States, except that it is the working class that has been losing out. Out-sourcing and automation have been displacing many workers. Poorly educated migrants (both illegal and those who were able to gain admittance through chain migration, but would not have been able to gain admittance based on their education or abilities) have been able to get many of the working class jobs that still remain. The labor pool of less educated people is now so large for so few jobs that employers have barely had to raise wages, yet the competition for what was once affordable housing has grown to such an extent that rents and homelessness have risen. Many schools in low-income communities are over-crowded, with what some might see as an inordinate amount of resources and teacher time going to migrant children and children of migrants. Less educated migrants are using many of our resources just when members of our own working class would benefit from better education/retraining and social services. Some of our own working class citizens are feeling so threatened that they are rallying behind the identity of white supremacy.

Can we hire some of these protesters since Americans seem to distracted and/or busy to protest for their own Democracy?

The future of China should be a more inclusive political system that includes all political views. The PRC will have to transform itself through a peaceful process to a democracy with representation for all. The question is not so much whether the people of HK are Chinese, but whether all Chinese are Chinese Communists. The PRC propaganda tends to paint any Chinese who are not Communists as separatists. What would the folks in HK feel if mainland China were a democracy?

Hong Kong be strong do not give into XI and his goons. Yes they have a lot of raw power at his command right now but it is so so fragile. All Chinese deserve so much better than endless repression. Hong Kong lead all of China to a far better future. You can do it. Be strong. Be resilient. Be courageous !

IMHO this is by far the best article about the Hong Kong protest movement. It gets to the heart of the matter on what's driving this anger. When Britain ruled Hong Kong, it imposed British laws on its subjects but respected its culture and never tried to make them British or forced them to learn English. Now China has taken ownership, it is trying to impose its laws and make Hong Kong people "Chinese". On top of this, they speak the local dialect Cantonese and so have their ancestors before them not Mandarin the official dialect that Beijing wants all its subjects to speak. In the case of Hong Kong, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

I know Trump is a tough guy with China. So glad Trump is standing up to China in support of Hong Kong protesters demonstrating for democracy so vocally ! He deserves a Nobel for his brave support.

In 2047, the Brit-China Hong Kong turnover agreement will expire and HK will lose its special status and will be completely subject to Chinese law ... apart from the CIA/NED organizing and financing the protests (sometimes riots) for short term gain in the Big Picture dispute with China, there can be no doubt that the protesters are desperately searching for some way to avoid becoming ordinary mainlander Chinese subjects. When the realization of the futility of the avoidance of the 2047 result becomes entirely clear, the protests will peter out.

Let agree extradition is a dumb move. However, this is far more complicated than freedom loving Hong Kongers have their own identity. To begin with, older Hong Kongers are always torn. Many are Chinese refugees from the mainland. They never trusted CCP because their families were torn asunder for many decades. They were staunchly anti communist back in 1967. That said, some people might have implanted memories, life under the old colonial rule was hard too. A lot of people had to go oversea for higher education. The younger Hong Kongers now have to compete with new immigrants, the mainlanders. HKSAR is their NIMBY. More importantly, there are 300,000 Canadians living in HKSAR. How many more with a U.S., Australian or New Zealand passport? Again, maybe it is more than one country and two identities. If Hong Kongers have any beef with their government, fine. However, their protests are spreading to residential areas like Shan Tin. There is no reason for protesters to destroy the MTR and bring troubles to local residents. But they do. Western media like Bloomberg seem to be squarely on one side, until some reporters were threatened by the protesters (check with Twitter, one Chinese reporter from NYC was treated nicely she was with white reporters but threatened when alone. Pretty ironic!) Already, its economy has been teetering due to the Sino-American trade disputes, tourism, small shops and eateries are going to go under. Protest/riot is not harmless

China is one country. Hong Kong is China.

That photo is gorgeous photojournalism. It should win an award.

Anyone, based on the basis of universal human rights, should be able to identify themselves as whatever they wish, without judgment. They should also be allowed to choose their ways of life, self-governance, as long as it does not harm other people. This is what the citizens in Hong Kong are fighting for. A way of life that has been respectful and free under British rule (while it wasn't perfect, it was very autonomous). The changes the Beijing government is looking to impose upon this group of highly educated and highly civilized people is an attempt to acclimatize a group of people whom understand globalized ideas of freedom to authoritarian rules. Of course it is going to be met with resistance. Beijing may well learn something from other first world countries, and improve to become a real world power; not forcing it to go the other way round.

This article just upped the ante in Hong Kong. It discloses the widespread use of a psychological test known as the Implicit Association Test. For those unfamiliar with the test, it relies on the free-association technique first developed for psychotherapy, to determine the political, social, religious or racial bias of a particular individual. For example, with this test it is possible to divide the world into two groups: those with a racial bias, and those without. The article quotes Ying-yi Hong of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. According to the article: "Ms. Hong examined attitudes toward mainlanders with a series of implicit association tests, which use rapid-fire word association prompts to measure subconscious prejudices." According to her: “We found that implicit bias is very strong — even stronger than white prejudice against African-Americans,” she said." The Implicit Association Test has never been widely used in the United States because of its potential to violate civil liberties on a massive scale. For example, if this test was use to screen applicants for a job or admission to a school, then it could be used to eliminate anyone with a racial bias. It has the potential to render a large part of our population unemployable. For this and other reasons, in the United States racism is defined under the law as a behavior, not as a belief.

All of this is true and should be required reading for all Western journalists in Hong Kong. The economic and cultural changes in HK are seismic. They will continue. Integration of the mainland's population, language, and financial prowess will continue, whether or not it is perceived as invasion and coercion. Western journalists that perceive this tumult as a struggle for democracy are at best deluded, at worst complicit.

"So when pro-Beijing lawmakers pushed a bill to allow extradition to mainland China, it struck many as an attack not just on their rights but on their distinct identity at a moment when it already appeared vulnerable...." This is a universal human response that we also see in Europe and the US, exposed to massive immigration. It's why Trump may well win the election.