Britain took Hong Kong as a 99-year lease from the Chinese authorities through a treaty in 1898. This happened at a time when China’s Qing dynasty was at its weakest after the first Sino-Japanese war of 1895 and 1895. Thus, Britain presented the Convention for the Extension of the Hong Kong Territory as a means of gaining a strategic trading post that could give Britain power to operate within the Asia-Pacific region. The lease ended on 1st July, 1997 and Britain handed Hong Kong back to China. As of 1997, there was a completely different China from Qing China that gave up the territory. At the same time, there was an Anglicized Hong Kong population transferred to China. The purpose of this research is to critically analyze and review the identity the people of Hong Kong have and how it has evolved over the past 20 years after the territory was transferred to China.
Basically, the population of Hong Kong went through two main transformations – in the 1940s and the 1960s. A migration wave of Chinese refugees occurred in the 1940s when people fleeing the Chinese civil war ended up in Hong Kong with their Mandarin identity. This created a rift between Anglicized Hong Kongnese and Mandarin Hong Kong residents. However, in the 1960s, a generation of baby-boomers laid the foundation for the colonial administration to create a new social and political order. This was around the time when most British colonies had gained independence, thus, it became clear to the British authorities and the local Hong Kong leaders that the lease would someday end and there was the need to prepare the country for self-rule and/or a transfer to China.
The new generation of Hong Kongnese citizens that was raised in the 1960s and 70s were urbanite and sophisticated. They lived like people lived in London and other places and this laid the foundation for the creation of a unique identity. In spite of this, the people of Hong Kong also had their Asian identity and the Chinese homogeneity was apparent in the period of transformation in the 1960s and 70s. This was similar to other Asian countries that were also developing world-class structures like Japan and South Korea.
Another apparent rift was that the new Hong Kong identity of the 1960s and 70s was different from life in mainland China. China went through the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap Forward under Mao Zedong around that time. Whilst China moved forward in the Communist front, Hong Kong moved in the other direction in a Capitalist front. Therefore, by the 1990s, the difference was clear – China took up a Communist identity whilst Hong Kong was Capitalist.
This background in the origins of the people of Hong Kong has laid the foundation for the creation of differences in the socio-political system of Hong Kong. Due to this, the social system and cultural processes have changed significantly since 1997 when the territory was transferred from Britain to China. Unlike other areas of China like Tibet where people seek independence, the people of Hong Kong do not see themselves as non-Chinese. They view themselves as Chinese but with a different identity and ideologies which make them distinct from other Chinese people in the mainland.
The difference in the identity of people in Hong Kong since 1997 is seen in the population structure and the social organization of the society. This is because the kind of population groups in the country are unique and distinct and this has led to the creation of demographics and sociological patterns that are different from other parts of China. In Hong Kong, there is a group of British nationals who retain their Hong Kong identity. These people are born in Hong Kong and as such, they are seen in the lenses of the country as a minority who have different identities and views on things including ideology and lifestyle.
In spite of this, there is a cultural expansion and identity which is seen as the growth of Cantonese identity. This is because the people of Hong Kong consider themselves to be Chinese irrespective of the fact that they might have a different national identity. There is a sense of Anglo-Chinese elitism which has an inherent feature of Chinese and Asian identity which is strongly ingrained in the Hong Kongnese identity and culture.
The nature of the development of Hong Kong and its history has laid the foundation for subjective self-perception and objective conditions. The subjective perception is based on how people feel in Hong Kong. If a person feels or thinks s/he is like a person from Hong Kong, that individual can live a life along those lines. However, over time, there is the reification of a number of cultural practices and patterns in Hong Kong that is different from other parts of China where the culture is more homogenous and there are fewer options and rare divergences from the dominant culture endorsed and accepted by the Communist society. On the other hand, Hong Kong retains aspects of the British culture of being pro-choice. There are many options and there is a lot of liberalism that is shown in the different parts of Hong Kong.
On the subjective perception of Hong Kongese identity, there is a way people view themselves and present themselves. In 1998, a study of the modified Hong Kong showed that 56% considered themselves Hong Kongnese. Thus, a wide proportion of the people of Hong Kong considered themselves to be people with a unique and distinct identity that is different from everyone else. Another 29% considered themselves Chinese and this came up with a sense of nationalism based on a bigger parent-Chinese identity. However, another 15% considered themselves as both Chinese and Hong Kongnese. This indicates that the way people view themselves is based on how they feel. This creates a number of different perceptions and ideologies.
There are traditional as well as liberal identities that are pervasive in Hong Kong. Traditionally, there is a move towards a Chinese identity and values. These include age-old cultures and identities that have been preserved including the local Chinese language and culture that is over five thousand years old. There are also liberal identities and perceptions that are based on the British colonial practices and the aspects of a modern industrialized country, built on modern western values.
Several areas of divergence exist in the culture of Hong Kong and China. This has to do with various political and ideological differences and processes. This difference is clearer when examined in a relativist context. For instance, when Hong Kong’s relationship with China is compared with Taiwan’s relationship to China, there is clearly a sense of moderation emanating from Hong Kong in relation to China. Hong Kong is viewed purely in the context of an international arrangement that caused a part of China to be ruled by a foreign power under a mutual agreement. On the other hand, when examined closely, Taiwan appears to be a nation that has broken away from China and its Chinese population will always disassociate themselves with mainland China for ideological reasons and political reasons.
However, in spite of the fact that Hong Kong is considered Capitalist and westernized, Hong Kong’s attitude towards China’s perceived totalitarian system and Communist system is different. Hong Kong expresses its differences with China in a more subtle manner. The main area where open protest and a desire for difference is shown is in the area of the Tiananmen Square demonstrations. In these demonstrations, there were the killing of students who demonstrated for democracy in China in 1989. This was a few years before Hong Kong was to be transferred to China. There was a joint declaration by Hong Kong and Britain which showed that Hong Kong was for the promotion of democracy and diversity. This came after the killings of innocent unarmed protestors. And the declaration from Hong Kong showed that Hong Kong was going to accept Chinese rule in a manner where democracy and free speech and expression is guaranteed.
Hong Kong’s identity was based on democracy that was structured on the British model. The Hong Kong democracy is one that causes the state to be different from the rest of China and this has shaped the development of the Hong Kong identity after unification in 1997. This makes Hong Kong a nation that continues to live on a British oriented culture throughout Chinese rule.
In 2014, there were open protests for elections to be held in Hong Kong. This is opposed to mainland China where such protests would have been treated with a lot of harsh responses by the Chinese government. This shows that the people of Hong Kong still retain an identity of democracy based on the choice of elected officials under the western democratic model.
Furthermore, the actions of China during the Tiananmen incident showed clearly that Hong Kong with its Joint Declaration was creating a precedent whereby it will desist from interfering in affairs in China and in return, China would not interfere in Hong Kong’s affairs.
Hong Kong’s citizens identified more with pro-democracy Chinese activists as opposed to supporters of the Chinese system. China remains a country where things are planned and remains under direct supervision by the powers that be. This is clearly something that is different and distinct. However, Hong Kong is viewed as a special administration region (SAR) which involve a set of other zones in the country where western values and liberal limits are put in place. For instance, China’s government has a system of allowing certain actions and procedures to occur in certain regions and zones of the country. And although these zones are part of the state, there are limits which are placed on the community and this allows for the flourishing of certain industries. A typical example is the case of Macau which also came under Portuguese colonial rule where the authorities allowed gambling to be carried out.
Therefore, it can be said that Hong Kong’s identity since 1997 has been developed in ways whereby they retain their own unique identities and cultures. This is based on an unwritten arrangement which is generally attributed to the 50-year transition period where Hong Kong was expected to gradually change and fit into the Chinese society. In this process, China continues to administer the region under a special status. This include the restriction of travels from the mainland and careful monitoring of affairs to prevent the spillover of certain cultures and values into the mainland.
In the absence of homogeneity, Hong Kong has various liberal systems and processes that helps in the attainment of certain heterogeneous goals and objectives. For instance, Hong Kong is liberal and there are numerous specialized entertainment outlets including a free press which is different from China. This is not something that is tolerated on the Mainland. Hong Kong’s entertainment is diverse and there is everything ranging from pornography to gambling which are things that could come with heavy sanctions and punishments in mainland China.
Hong Kong is bilingual with Chinese and English as official languages. This means there is a system whereby the British identity is to exist side-by-side with the Chinese ideologies and systems. Also, the presence of a free press means there is a media that is allowed to present information as it is. International news is not censored as the case is in China. Therefore, the identity developed in Hong Kong after 1997 is one where the people are free to take independent decisions and choose on the basis of what actually exists.
Also, in Mainland China, anything that is considered to be against Communism is proactively restricted and crashed. This comes with major punishments including heavy prison terms and reeducation sentences. However, in Hong Kong, Anti-Communism is discussed openly in the media. This is a part of the identity of the society and people are seen to be free to choose and condemn or criticize anyone or anything they feel like criticizing.
In Hong Kong, there has been an evolution of a unique naming tradition where people blend Anglicized names with Chinese surnames. Thus, it is common to meet people in Hong Kong who have an Anglicized first name and a Chinese surname. The most popular of such names is Jackie Chan who is a citizen of Hong Kong and his wife, Joan Lin. This sets aside the people of Hong Kong from other people in China.
Hong Kong is identified to have created three cultural patterns – Individualism, Utilitarianism and Consumerism. In terms of individualism, the average person in Hong Kong does things on the basis of liberal values and people are identified on what they do rather than where they belong to. There is a general sense towards the western value of utilitarianism where things are done to help the highest numbers of people as opposed to a few people. There is also consumerism whereby people live to maintain a high quality of life and the quest for what makes individuals happy as opposed to what makes the entire community or society happy.
In contrast to Hong Kong, China remains collectivized. Things are done in ways whereby the collective goal and interest is put ahead of the individual’s happiness. Chinese identities are still based on people’s families and there is a desire to promote a Communist view of things.
In spite of the divergence between Hong Kong and mainland China, the Hong Kong culture is not all out British. British culture and Australian culture are considered to be Eurocentric. The people of Hong Kong retain their Asian identity and this has been the case since 1997. The people of Hong Kong are willing to view themselves as Asians in line with people from Japan, South Korea and Singapore. This comes with retaining a saving culture and some long-term orientation and environmentalism that is common to all Asian communities and societies. This is contrast with the British culture which has a much lower long-term orientation.
In conclusion, the evolution of Hong Kong after 1997 is based on its prior history of being British in outlook and multicultural Asian on another angle. Hong Kong retains a high degree of western democracy and this has forced the people of China to accept them as a specially administered region because of their unique culture and history. There is a free and liberal media and people in Hong Kong are allowed to take decisions on what meet their best interests. However, the people of Hong Kong consider themselves to be Asian and Chinese. They do not seek to break away from China like the people of Tibet or stay politically distant from China like Taiwan. They have an Anglo-Chinese identity which promotes consumerism and individualism. This is in contrast with China which is collectivized and Communist. It is also different from Britain because Hong Kong remains Asian and they retain things like a long-term orientation and a strong saving culture.
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