Hong Kong: an amazing blend of east and west, with shades of both London and Shanghai, an incredible, bustling city full of energy. And freedom.

That started changing in 1997, when the British ceded Hong Kong back to the People’s Republic of China.

Beijing promised Hong Kong would remain, well, Hong Kong, that there would be “one China, two systems,” as Deng Xiaoping put it. Deng’s motivation arguably had as much to do with maintaining stability in international banking as anything else, but, nevertheless, Hong Kong would ostensibly retain a high degree of autonomy.

Anyone who believed that would last long, that Beijing wouldn’t eventually “flex its muscle” and try to bring Hong Kong to heel, wasn’t looking at a map. Words are fine, but Hong Kong independence rests on Beijing’s magnanimity – and Beijing’s others interests. And so, over the intervening years Beijing slowly tightened the screws on that amazing city, particularly as the US neglected the South China Sea.

If the US maintained an interest in East Asia, and a dominant economic position as well, Beijing would have to tread softly; on the other hand, if the US lost focus on East Asia and the China Seas, Beijing might feel confident in ending the charade and taking more direct control over Hong Kong.

The leadership of Hong Kong, vested in the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council, was and is well aware of this geo-political reality, and as Washington neglected its role in the China Seas over the last 25 years, Hong Kong’s leadership drifted closer and closer to Beijing.

Last February Chief Executive Lam and her Executive Council proposed changes to Hong Kong’s extradition law, for the first time allowing extradition to the PRC. The bill moved through the system and the population followed it. On June 9th more than 1 million people rose up in protest.

The focus of the protestors is straightforward: Beijing is stripping Hong Kong of its de facto independence. The police responded with tear gas and batons. But, as international concern increased, the city’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, announced they would suspend the bill, and things seemed to return to some sort of order.

But: Lam has not withdrawn the bill, or said it was a fundamentally flawed. Rather, she said they’d gone about it the wrong way, but that basically it’s a good idea. Second, there’s no question Hong Kong can’t “escape” the PRC; it may look good on paper, but it can only remain independent as long as that’s in Beijing’s interest.

But, is there something the US could do?

I would suggest we’re already doing it; the raising of tariffs in response to predatory Chinese trade practices and theft of intellectual property; as well as increased US military presence in region, are clear signals to China that they must act in accordance with international norms, and that is to Hong Kong’s benefit (and the Uighurs). These steps can be made more severe (ending trade with China) and there are other economic and political steps available, perhaps even a third party embargo: we won’t trade with anyone who trades with China.

These aren’t steps we want to take, but we need to recognize that hard steps may be necessary; we need to recognize that China isn’t just another economy. Last November, General Xu Yan, a professor at China’s War College and a senior member of the Communist Party, gave an harangue to a hall full of educators, calling for “decolonization” of Hong Kong, for punishing dissenters, and for changing the education system to focus on China. It’s quite the rant, a totalitarian approach to rule.

In fact, for 30 years we’ve fallen for cheap products while funding a totalitarian regime that wishes us ill. Meanwhile, Hong Kong has gone from a free city, to a vassal state of Beijing.

China is pursuing global domination, one step at a time. And we have hard choices to make. On of them is to stop sending them money. This could mean a good deal of economic pain. Are our principles are more important than money?

We’ll never know what conversations took place between Lam and Beijing. But it’s reasonable to conclude that they were “talking.” Perhaps Emperor Xi recognizes he has enough on his plate with the US trade talks. Let’s hope.

The people of Hong Kong have won this round. But, there will be another round.

Copyright 2019 Arrias
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