Hong Kong living in the state of "liminal boundary": How to get rid of the dilemma of two sides that are not human?

Liminality generally refers to a transitional society in dramatic changes.

Hong Kong scholar Leung Wing-tai interprets the current situation in Hong Kong with the concept of thresholds sharply: "How does the city transition? A city undergoes a radical change, and it is about to enter a transitional period. During the transition, public opinion will change from Diversity moves towards opposition, and polarization will become mainstream dominance. Because as scholar Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann pointed out, opposition voices will automatically disappear due to the strong appearance of mainstream voices. What is a transitional society like? The old social system After being demolished and the new system is not established, society will be in a threshold, or embarrassing state, like the state of infinity in the movie "Infernal Affairs", with no shore at both ends. People live in uncertain situations, and neither side is human. ."

In the past hundred years, the world structure has been dominated by Europe and the United States.

However, the rise of the Asian region headed by China has brought new possibilities to the old order and at the same time poses a challenge to the United States and its leading "Western world."

In fact, after the return of Hong Kong, China and the West are still competing in Hong Kong.

In recent years, the political environment has changed drastically, and many Hong Kong people have chosen to emigrate.

(Photo by Li Zetong)

Zhang Bingliang from the former Transport and Housing Bureau pointed out that Hong Kong has existed as a British colony for more than 100 years. Under British rule, Hong Kong people will inevitably be friendly to the West.

However, after the reunification, it is difficult for Hong Kong, which is no longer under British rule, to continue to use the concept of "Hong Kong is a part of the Western world."

But from the central point of view, Hong Kong can only be "Hong Kong of China", not "Hong Kong of the West"-of course, Hong Kong can still maintain good relations with the West, but there are many changes in the positioning of "Hong Kong of China", which makes many It is difficult for Hong Kong people to accept it.

However, the implementation of the “Hong Kong National Security Law” in 2020 marks a clear decision by Beijing: No matter how China and the West will struggle in the future, Beijing has decided to dissolve the long-standing existence between Hong Kong and the West, and wants to subvert the Chinese Communist regime and endanger the Chinese state. Security ties and forces do not allow Western forces to use Hong Kong to undermine China's development interests.

Beijing's introduction and implementation of the "Hong Kong National Security Law" in mid-2020 has profoundly changed Hong Kong's political and legal order.

(Getty Images)

Whether it is between China and the United States or internationally, Hong Kong cannot stand alone.

However, how should Hong Kong, which has not undergone major changes in this century, deal with itself?

What is the way to survive in the "Limited Realm"?

How can Hong Kong escape from "infernal hell" and set off again?

Huang Bonong will analyze one by one in the article.

For details, please read the 278th "Hong Kong 01" Electronic Weekly Newsletter (August 16, 2021) "