Flickering “martial law” Chinese “lung” Where is the Hong Kong economy?

Central Hong Kong where high-rise buildings line up. Hong Kong's 2018 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell below Shenzhen, China = taken by Yuichiro Masumi in April 2017

[PR]

Yuichiro Masumi's eyes

On the night of September 28 in the heart of Hong Kong Island, where skyscrapers are lined up, dozens of young protesters were throwing bricks toward the government building of the Hong Kong government. Broken glass splatters with a high-pitched sound of palin. The demonstrators were delighted with applause and drew "Good, good."

This day is just the 5th anniversary of the 2014 democratization demonstration “Umbrella Movement”. Five years ago, a 79-day demonstration began with the police firing a teardrop on students who occupied the main street in front of this. The student was named “non-violence” and spread the umbrella on the police tear spray, and was named the umbrella movement.

The origin of the word “economy” means “to save the world and scoop the people”. In the new column “Keisei Saimin”, we will continue to report what the reporter thinks through daily interviews and what he wants to convey from various viewpoints. In principle, every Tuesday morning.

Photographed by Yuichiro Masumi, Hong Kong, on September 28, 2019, former student leaders of the Umbrella Movement at the press conference, Joshua Wong (center), Chou Agnes (left), et al.

Why the demo has sharpened

This series of protests is far from “non-violent”. Why has Hong Kong's youth sharpened so far in just five years?

The Umbrella Movement took a dialogue line with the Hong Kong government in search of democratization of the election of the executive secretary (the head of the Hong Kong government) scheduled for 2017. In the end, however, he was frustrated with no concessions. Disappointed and angry young people realized the limits of peaceful demonstrations and ran into a path to tolerate certain violence.

On the other hand, the Hong Kong government seems to have seen economic problems behind the sharpening. The rise in prices, including real estate, and the widening gap between the rich and the poor, has led to an increase in the number of young people who have “liability to live”, which has become an anger magma.

In August, the Hong Kong government announced a “biraki” with a total of HK $ 199.1 billion (approximately 260 billion yen) centered on subsidies for electricity bills for all households. In the end, however, the approval rating of the chief executive was not ready for recovery. It is clear that the fundamental dissatisfaction of young people is not economic but democratic progress.

Flickering “martial law” The impact on the Hong Kong economy

The irritating Chinese government launched another move in August. In Shenzhen, adjacent to Hong Kong, a new policy has been launched to strengthen financial functions. A check ball that will replace Shenzhen with the position of the “International Financial Center” that Hong Kong has played for many years. Furthermore, the armed police will be gathered in Shenzhen, and Hong Kong will be tightened in terms of both economy and force.

Night view of Shenzhen, China, where gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018 surpassed Hong Kong = January 2019, taken by Tetsuro Takehana

If the situation still does not stop, the next flicker is the “martial law”. The Hong Kong government will flicker the “Emergency Situation Ordinance” (Emergency Law) that can forcefully limit participation in protests. Give authority to the chief executive and limit citizens' freedom of communication and movement over the Internet. Naturally, democrats are rebelling.

If "martial law" was activated ...