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Hong Kong Protests
Introduction
Every state has some laws and orders, they are to be followed by its citizens. There are lesser chances that the state makes laws that are not accepted by its citizens. People have to follow the law but if they do not follow the law then they are then considered as the anti-law. People when they are against the law they start agitations and protests, while there is also freedom of speech which states have to provide to people because it is their due right.
Hong Kong protests have been shaking the state because of its prolonged protests by its citizens. It was 2014, when Umbrella Protest was held, after that Hong Kong protests initiated by the citizens of Hong Kong ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"Bs8mRaRH","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Cheung and Hughes)","plainCitation":"(Cheung and Hughes)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":26,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/FFNLN6XF"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/FFNLN6XF"],"itemData":{"id":26,"type":"webpage","title":"Why are there protests in Hong Kong? All the context you need - BBC News","URL":"https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-48607723","author":[{"family":"Cheung","given":"Helier"},{"family":"Hughes","given":"Roland"}],"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",12,1]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Cheung and Hughes). This protest aimed to withdraw the bill of extradition, while this is also named as the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill. These protests initially triggered when the Fugitive Offenders Amendment bill was introduced by the government of Hong Kong. This bill allowed local authorities to detain people who commit crimes and transfer criminal escapees who demanded those territories which, Hong Kong does not have repatriation agreements that include Taiwan and mainland China. The concerns of the protestors were that these would undermine their legal systems, the autonomy of their region and their civil liberties.
The protestors demanded the withdrawal of bills, actions against the brutalities by the police, to release the protestors who were arrested, a complete characterization of protests to “riots” and the resignation of Chief Executive Carrie Lam. While Carrie Lam was asked to resign along with the demand for the rights of elections by the legislative council. Despite huge protests, the government of Hong Kong continued to implement the same bill. Later on, these protests took deep root and the situations got intense, resulting in police and city conflicts and injuries of citizens which counted as more than 27000.
Effects on people and the Hong Kong government
To maintain peace in any state there has to be connections and understanding between citizens and the state otherwise any disturbance will trigger conflicts ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"EUpNeBWm","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Marsh)","plainCitation":"(Marsh)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":31,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/F78B5DEP"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/F78B5DEP"],"itemData":{"id":31,"type":"book","title":"Protest and political consciousness","publisher":"Sage Publications Beverly Hills and London","ISBN":"0-8039-0876-8","author":[{"family":"Marsh","given":"Alan"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["1977"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Marsh). Hong Kong protests triggered by the bill resulted in a number of injuries, deaths and it also makes an impact on the governance by the state. People get engaged it the protests and they stop their other activities which are beneficial for their improvement in living standards, but it is also important for them to ask the states for their due rights which are their legitimate rights. People demand their rights and they can only demand their rights from the states because it has authority and power.
These past protests have made a huge impact on both the people and the government. Identity crisis is that in which people have no identity, they struggle for their recognition and for their due rights which have to make sure by the state system. It only the law by the states which gives an identity to its citizens and it also has the option to deny the identity of people as a part of their state ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"wjhWuxJv","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Chen)","plainCitation":"(Chen)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":30,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/DCKL4NUX"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/DCKL4NUX"],"itemData":{"id":30,"type":"article-journal","title":"The Basic Law and the development of the political system in Hong Kong","container-title":"Asia Pacific Law Review","page":"19-40","volume":"15","issue":"1","author":[{"family":"Chen","given":"Albert HY"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2007"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Chen). Identity crisis includes the motivation crisis and legitimation crisis which are the sources to create conflicts when not fulfilled under certain situations ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"p0kqsSpV","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Baumeister et al.)","plainCitation":"(Baumeister et al.)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":12,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/9WYVXZX7"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/9WYVXZX7"],"itemData":{"id":12,"type":"article-journal","title":"Two kinds of identity crisis","container-title":"Journal of Personality","page":"407-424","volume":"53","source":"ResearchGate","abstract":"In order to outline a model of identity crisis, it is necessary to distinguish two types In an identity deficit (“motivation crisis”), the individual experiences a lack of guiding commitments but struggles to establish personal goals and values In an identity conflict (“legitimation crisis”), the person has several commitments which prescribe conflicting behavioral imperatives in some situations, such that at least one commitment may have to be betrayed The literature on identity crisis is reviewed in connection with this distinction, and an attempt is made to delineate the causes, the subjective experiences, behavioral consequences and modes of resolution of each type of crisis","DOI":"10.1111/j.1467-6494.1985.tb00373.x","journalAbbreviation":"Journal of Personality","author":[{"family":"Baumeister","given":"Roy"},{"family":"Shapiro","given":"Jeremy"},{"family":"Tice","given":"Dianne"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["1985",9,1]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Baumeister et al.) QUOTE {Citation} \* MERGEFORMAT . People of Hong on demand for their legitimate identity and demand for the abolishment of those bills which undermine their legal system. People of Hong Kong are suffering from an identity crisis and they are also suffering from a huge gap in their income resulting in extreme levels of poverty.
While the government is being able to govern its citizens neither they are able to change any law because of the reservations and impacts which these changes in the law may result in.
Impacts on America and market
There is a number of elements responsible for the initiation of these protests which does not only impact the nation but also disturbs the international terms. These protests have increased the socio-economic and political frustration among the citizens of Hong Kong. The trade and democratic terms have been disturbed because of these protests as the government system is not being able to work on international policies and implement new legislation to improve socio-economic and political terms. The United States of America has made sure that it will keep the trade relations as they were before and they are against this development of violence in the form of events as protests. The House of Representatives in the United States have passed legislation for the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act which seeks approval from the state for the implementation of the sanctions against those officials who would be responsible for the abuses of human rights in the states of China and Hong Kong.
The protestors are being supported by international forums including the United States as they suggest that the protestors are on the right side because they demand democracy. While the ongoing conflicts depend upon the reaction of the Chinese government towards these protests as it is understood that there is distrust for the Chinese government. Many people suggest that it is not an international issue that would bring the leaders on larger forums, but there have been such legislations which have been implemented unanimously.
The United States has to keep a relationship with the Chinese government because they have to trade and they have socio-economic terms that need to be kept very smoothly. The Trump administration has stated that the administration has no involvement while it also declared that it is not part of Chinese internal affairs to deal with the Hong Kong protests. The involvement of the United States seems confusing as they keep saying they have nothing to do with the Hong Kong protests while the Trump administration also challenges China to resolve this humanitarian issue for which citizens of Hong Kong are protesting.
Effects on the world and economy of Hong Kong
Humanitarian identity crisis cannot be only limited to one state, human rights are to be provided by all of the states because these rights are mentioned in every constitution. These assure the human rights to people which they deserve and they have the right to claim and ask for their rights. The Hong Kong protests are not only making an impact on the state but also on the international levels, while socio-economic policies have to be changed as per the on-going situations in the state ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"XqZ6eNwr","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Sing)","plainCitation":"(Sing)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":23,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/QR6WLD37"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/QR6WLD37"],"itemData":{"id":23,"type":"article-journal","title":"Economic development, civil society and democratization in Hong Kong","container-title":"Journal of Contemporary Asia","page":"482-504","volume":"26","issue":"4","source":"Taylor and Francis+NEJM","URL":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00472339680000291","DOI":"10.1080/00472339680000291","ISSN":"0047-2336","author":[{"family":"Sing","given":"Ming"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["1996",1,1]]},"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",12,1]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Sing). There is a number of policies that are made according to the international policies and international terms when international terms and conditions are distressed, the internal economy is also disturbed.
The economic growth of the state gets slower resulting in the economic crisis, lack of resources, exploitation of resources and misuse of the states' resources. These protests are not more than any disturbance for all because the resources and the facilities being provided by the states are misused. The state has to put extra effort and spend more money to stop these agitations and protests. As an example, the state had to spend a huge amount on the security purposes which had to ensure the security provisions for the people and protection of resources of the government.
Future holds
The ongoing protests against the bills are triggering the conflicts in Hong Kong as the citizens feel that they laws will undermine the power by the legislative body of the government and they also demand their civil liberties, which are their due rights and they have to be made ensured. It is expected from the government that it has to end the bill of extradition and it has to give a proper identity to the citizens so that they would live a life with their identity. They should not suffer from a legitimate identity crisis, while it is the foremost responsibility of the government to give an identity to its citizens. These on-going political protests are expected to resolve the conflicts between the state and people who are demanding for democracy as it is also recognized by the international forums starting from the students from universities to the state representatives of the United States.
Hong Kong has reverted its economy to the Chinese government on July 1st, 1997 by signing the Joint Declaration ensuring the high degree of autonomy of the Hong Kong state ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"u280wvfl","properties":{"formattedCitation":"({\\i{}Fact and Friction})","plainCitation":"(Fact and Friction)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":21,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/6VK8PHR8"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/6VK8PHR8"],"itemData":{"id":21,"type":"webpage","title":"Fact and Friction: Reporting on Hong Kong's Protests","abstract":"Mass protests in Hong Kong put a team of journalists to test as they face intimidation and growing pressure from China.","URL":"https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/whose-truth-is-it-anyway/2019/11/fact-friction-reporting-hong-kong-protests-191106081819520.html","title-short":"Fact and Friction","accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",12,1]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Fact and Friction). But many of the Hong Kongers believe that the Chinese government is undermining their autonomy, therefore it has to stop this undermining of their autonomy. It is expected that there have to be government bodies and processes which will govern Hong Kong according to its autonomous judicial system. While the United States is expected to sign bilateral agreement programs that will sufficiently ensure the autonomy of Hong Kong.
Another drastic agreement which has been made anonymously by the government of the United States is the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019. The issuance of visas will be prohibited and properties will be freeze. Entry to the United States will be limited and this will undermine the basic freedom of choices and autonomy.
Possibilities
Protests are not the solution to demand identity and democracy by the states there are other ways including the negotiations and dialogues between the state and its citizens ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"C6AmiTej","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Shiu-Hing 42)","plainCitation":"(Shiu-Hing 42)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":28,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/CVY76HSI"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/CVY76HSI"],"itemData":{"id":28,"type":"book","title":"The politics of democratization in Hong Kong","publisher":"Springer","ISBN":"1-349-25467-3","author":[{"family":"Shiu-Hing","given":"Lo"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2016"]]}},"locator":"42","label":"page"}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Shiu-Hing 42). There is a possibility that people may be given with their rights of autonomy and the bills which give authority to the state to detain people committing a crime and the state should make maximum possibilities to ensure the full autonomy of the legal systems. The non-state actors may also play a vital role in the conflict resolution because they will be finding possible solutions as a neutral party ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"UEZDzACK","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Wagner)","plainCitation":"(Wagner)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":16,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/P65DIGDG"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/P65DIGDG"],"itemData":{"id":16,"type":"chapter","title":"Non-State Actors","source":"ResearchGate","abstract":"Non-State Actors have taken on increasingly important roles in international relations. This encyclopedia entry analyzes the concept of non-state actors, a superordinate concept that encompasses individuals as well as international organizations, corporations, non-governmental organizations, de facto regimes, trade associations, transnational corporations, terrorist groups and transnational criminal organizations. \nIt then traces the historical evolution of the concept, describes the role of non-state actors in the negotiation and codification of international law, as well as in international litigation. Finally, the entry covers non-state actors and their capacity on peace and security matters.","author":[{"family":"Wagner","given":"Markus"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2009",1,1]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Wagner).
Dialogues between the parties are important because without dialogues and negotiations there will be lesser chances of conflict resolution in Hong Kong. The protests will continue until unless under certain circumstances including the negotiations by the government, peace dialogues by the citizens, and the third party involvement as non-nation state actors. The third-party involvement is sometimes is not good because they may get involved for their selfish gains, therefore the government and protestors have to step forward for negotiations to resolve the conflicts.
Views about the situation
Most of the people in Hong Kong feel very negative for the Chinese supreme government, and they want to preserve their integrity and freedom for a lifetime. Mainly this movement is purposed for resisting the illegal moves and encroachment from the government of China, after this more from the mainland this outraged the local and it has since become violent.
The movement was mainly focused on a bill introduced by the government that bill which would have allowed the locals accused of the crimes to be sent to the other places. While the Hong Kong government has no treaty signed and that included mainland China and its governed by the communist party, fearing the bill thousands of people marched on the streets of Beijing for a peaceful march on the 9th of June and later it becomes violent.
Later on June 12th for the first time the police used non-lethal forces to disrupt the ongoing protest according to the protesters the police used tear gas, pepper spray, and batons. The protesters demanded an investigation on the used non-lethal force against protesters, and later that demand refused by the government which led to more insecurity and violence among the protesters. The anger among protesters for the police raised and the protesters have extended their demands to include amnesty for the arrested protesters and demanded elections on the chief executive levels and for all lawmakers.
According to the protesters and young social activists, the violence against the police is due to the defying to international standards of use of non-lethal force ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"0DughNT4","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Lam-Knott)","plainCitation":"(Lam-Knott)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":25,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/5SHMV8MA"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/5SHMV8MA"],"itemData":{"id":25,"type":"article-journal","title":"Responding to Hong Kong’s political crisis: moralist activism amongst youth","container-title":"Inter-Asia Cultural Studies","page":"377-396","volume":"20","issue":"3","author":[{"family":"Lam-Knott","given":"Sonia"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2019"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Lam-Knott). Police used tear gas, live rounds of ammunition, corrosive blue dye, use of pepper spray on pregnant women and individual police on motorcycle swearing into the protest injuring several protesters who have infuriated the demonstrators ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"roOmGCKs","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Victor and Ives)","plainCitation":"(Victor and Ives)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":20,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/ALXXBE4M"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/dgrNkASy/items/ALXXBE4M"],"itemData":{"id":20,"type":"article-newspaper","title":"Why Are People Protesting in Hong Kong?","container-title":"The New York Times","section":"World","source":"NYTimes.com","abstract":"The demonstrations created the Chinese territory’s worst political crisis in years, ensnaring Beijing, Washington and foreign businesses, including the N.B.A. Here’s a guide to what’s happening.","URL":"https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/15/world/asia/what-are-hong-kong-protests-about.html","ISSN":"0362-4331","language":"en-US","author":[{"family":"Victor","given":"Daniel"},{"family":"Ives","given":"Mike"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2019",10,15]]},"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",12,1]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Victor and Ives). Students also got involved the educational campuses as hides against the police the protesters later used petrol bombs arrows and different projectiles for attacking the police. The Hong Kong polytechnic university in November remained off for several days with trapped protesters and this sieves led to injured police and hypothermic porters due to water cannon spray and it ended with several arrests and heavy damages to the property.
Conclusion
Protests will keep going if the state and citizens will not step forward for the negotiations otherwise these conflicts will make an impact on the economy and international relations declination. Economic growth, prosperity, and peace are good for nations to develop, but the state is responsible for these all.
Works Cited
ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Baumeister, Roy, et al. “Two Kinds of Identity Crisis.” Journal of Personality, vol. 53, Sept. 1985, pp. 407–24. ResearchGate, DOI:10.1111/j.1467-6494.1985.tb00373.x.
Chen, Albert HY. “The Basic Law and the Development of the Political System in Hong Kong.” Asia Pacific Law Review, vol. 15, no. 1, 2007, pp. 19–40.
Cheung, Helier, and Roland Hughes. Why Are There Protests in Hong Kong? All the Context You Need - BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-48607723. Accessed 1 Dec. 2019.
Fact and Friction: Reporting on Hong Kong’s Protests. https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/whose-truth-is-it-anyway/2019/11/fact-friction-reporting-hong-kong-protests-191106081819520.html. Accessed 1 Dec. 2019.
Lam-Knott, Sonia. “Responding to Hong Kong’s Political Crisis: Moralist Activism amongst Youth.” Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, vol. 20, no. 3, 2019, pp. 377–96.
Marsh, Alan. Protest and Political Consciousness. Sage Publications Beverly Hills and London, 1977.
Shiu-Hing, Lo. The Politics of Democratization in Hong Kong. Springer, 2016.
Sing, Ming. “Economic Development, Civil Society and Democratization in Hong Kong.” Journal of Contemporary Asia, vol. 26, no. 4, Jan. 1996, pp. 482–504. Taylor and Francis+NEJM, DOI:10.1080/00472339680000291.
Victor, Daniel, and Mike Ives. “Why Are People Protesting in Hong Kong?” The New York Times, 15 Oct. 2019. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/15/world/asia/what-are-hong-kong-protests-about.html.
Wagner, Markus. Non-State Actors. 2009.
