China is a country that is divided by two cultures. There is the culture adopted by Hong Kong and the culture adopted by Mainland China. There is an invisible barrier between the two cultures in China (Cheung, 2013). Hong Kong had been under the rule of the Britain for a very long time. It was until the year 1997 when Britain handed over Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China. Hong Kong is part of China, but it operates independently with its own systems. Hong Kong has adopted a policy known as “One Country, Two Systems”. The policy enables Hong Kong to carry on with its pre-colonial way of life while enjoying high autonomy for a period of fifty years. The people of Hong Kong have adopted an identity that distinguishes them from the people of Mainland China.
The Hong Kong identity has had several impacts on its relationship with Mainland China. In the year 2012 major clashes arose between the people of Hong Kong and the Mainland Chinese (Cheung, 2013). Some of the causes of disputes between these two cultures include language; and social cultural differences. Language is considered as a symbol of culture. The tensions between Hong Kong and Mainland China attracted the attention of international countries, and this intensified the situation in China.
The culture of Hong Kong is adopted from its colonial ruler, Britain (Ko, 2012). Britain is a capitalist nation that has a very distinct culture. Britain’s socioeconomic system was widely used in Hong Kong, and this system is still in use till this day. The people of Hong Kong speak English. Hong Kong has held on to the British culture even after being handed over to China. Mainland China has a hybrid culture that includes both capitalistic systems and socialist systems (Cheung, 2013). The culture of Mainland China is filled with traditional beliefs and has a rich history. The deep roots of Hong Kong are the Chinese traditions and history, but the British rule led to a wide adaptation of the British culture. Hong Kong developed the policy of one country two systems so that its people would adjust slowly to the two different cultures, but this has proven to be unfeasible. The people of Hong Kong have struggled to fit into the culture of Mainland China based on their roots and history, but it has become very challenging.
The Mainland Chinese have been stereotyping the people of Hong Kong and treating them like lesser Chinese (Ko, 2012). The differences in culture and language have led to major clashes between the two societies. The Mainland Chinese refuse to recognize the Hong Kong identity. One major problem that has created a barrier between Hong Kong and Mainland China is the failure to incorporate the two cultures in a harmonious manner. The people of Hong Kong have been denied their human right of equality. They are considered as outcasts of the Chinese community because they do not practice the culture of the Mainland Chinese.
A public administrator in Mainland China may hold a perception that considers the people of Hong Kong inferior due to the cultural influence existing in Mainland China. Some of the people of Hong Kong were born during the British rule, and may not be knowledgeable about the Chinese history and traditional beliefs. Such people may be construed as ignorant and inferior. The Chinese are known for using their traditional beliefs and culture while performing their daily activities. The public administrator in Mainland China may require a Hong Kong person to conform to all the cultural values held by the people of Mainland China while in that region.
The global government structures might help resolve the differences between Hong Kong and Mainland China by influencing China to create and observe laws that uphold human rights. This can be done by setting up conditions that China must satisfy for it to trade with these countries. The non-governmental organizations such as the UN can try to enforce the human rights in China by stipulating the human rights laws written in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. All human beings should be treated equality despite their differences (UN, 2015).
References
UN, (2015). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. United Nations. Retrieved from: http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/
Ko, V., (2012, Jan 24). Trouble Down South: Why Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese aren’t Getting along. Time. Retrieved from: http://world.time.com/2012/01/24/trouble-down-south-why-hong-kong-and-mainland-chinese-arent-getting-along/
Cheung, H. L. P., (2013). One Country, Two Cultures: The Invisible Boundary Between Hong Kong and Mainland China. Department of International Studies. Retrieved from: http://intldept.uoregon.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/P-Cheung-Honors-Thesis-2013.pdf
