China and Hong Kong may be close in proximity but they are two very different places with a very complicated past. Although, technically Hong Kong is part of China, it operates as a semi-autonomous region after being given back by the British to China in 1997. When the Brits gave Hong Kong back, it was under an agreement that made it part of China. However, gave Hong Kong the ability to have democratic freedoms, which is the distinguishing factor between Hong Kong and mainland China. The legal system is harsh and authoritative in this agreement. That being said, the agreement is said to end in 2047 and Hong Kong will completely become a part of China. The problem is China isn’t waiting till then. In recent years China has arrested pro-democracy leaders and free speech seems to be under threat. The people of Hong Kong, however, are fighting back. This time, against an extraction bill which singles another way China is attempting to encroach on Hong Kong’s democracy.
This standoff between China and Hong Kong has been going on for years but recently it’s grown on a global scale. Where people and countries are chiming in, and it is causing lots of backlash. In early October NBA’s Huston Rockets General Manager, Daryl Morey tweeted “Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.” Which caused great uproar in China. Although the tweets were since deleted, many Chinese sponsors have since pulled their money from the NBA, and China is refusing to play Huston Rocket’s pre-season games on their networks. A similar situation happened with an E-Sports player who publicly sided with Hong Kong after winning a tournament. Consequently, China banned him from playing the game for a year and winnings from the tournament were withheld. This shows just how badly China is trying to sensor what its people get to see and hear.
The United States is finally stepping in providing a bill to protect Hong Kong’s autonomy from China’s encroaching forces. On Tuesday, October 15 the house passed legislation barring tear gas use by china and condemning them by supporting Hong Kong’s right to protest. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi stated “ “If America does not speak out for human rights in China because of commercial interests, then we lose all moral authority to speak out on behalf of human rights any place in the world,”. China and Hong Kong’s complex relationship only seems to be getting more and more entangled every day. 2047 is coming but it is not here yet. Until then, Hong Kongers are here to fight for what’s theirs.