Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement: Overview of Key Issues in Hong Kong and Achievements of Democracy
Written by Chloe Chan
A yellow umbrella is no longer just a tool for protecting against the rain or sunshine. In Hong Kong, it has actually turned into a symbol of democracy. More specifically, nowadays it symbolizes the spirit of student movements and the long-cherished wish for civil rights.
Hong Kong is a special administrative region located in the southern part of China. After the First Opium War ended in 1842, Hong Kong became a British colony and would remain so for well over a century. In 1997, Hong Kong was handed over to China and became a special region within a political system significantly different from China’s. Under the “One Country, Two Systems” policy, it has remained a self-governing city with its own laws, currency, and education system. The cultural clash of West-meets-East makes Hong Kong unique, but at the same time, it also brings along undercurrents.
Being a Hongkonger born before 1997, as a kid I experienced the time known as the “awkward transition period.” From a Western to an Eastern lifestyle and from capitalism to having a subtle sense of communism, for both my parents and me, it was tough to adapt ourselves to a new social climate. The boiling point triggering the Umbrella Movement may just be the demand for “true universal suffrage” for the chief executive election. But for me, as a student who participated in the movement, it has much meaning beyond that. Indeed, it is more about living under a changeable social environment and how we struggle to fight for freedom and democracy. Freedom that is slowly being limited, real estate markets that are being manipulated by certain “mainland moneybags,” education syllabi that are being replaced with patriotic propaganda, and a voice that is being suppressed by force – we are starting to be afraid. But meanwhile, this fear has given us strength to stand up for our society and to make changes.
How is it that the slogan “Occupy Central with Love and Peace” ended up with tear gas, pepper spray, and screams? Even though we refuse to let historical tragedies be repeated, we have to accept the fact that realizing democracy requires time and determination. Like with other student-led demonstrations, such as the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and the Gwangju Uprising of 1980 – both of which resulted in bloodshed and loss of life – Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement shares some similar undercurrents.
After watching the acclaimed Korean film A Taxi Driver, I started to picture what it would be like if Hong Kong turned into a city governed by a military dictatorship. No doubt, the Gwangju Uprising had a much higher number of casualties, as it was way more violent and tragic. But if we look at the Umbrella Movement, which took place 34 years after the Gwangju Uprising, how could so many unarmed young adults have been treated so violently, and how could the government intentionally condemn the protesters and unleash the police who exercised guilt-free violence? It is terrifying to admit that we are indeed losing our own say in society and in our beloved city, which used to be peaceful, open-minded, and multi-cultural.
During the Gwangju Uprising, Gwangju had been blockaded while the phone lines and media used to reach the outside world had been cut off. As most of us are being well protected and safely raised these days, it is hard to imagine that the freedom and rights we have right now are the result of past efforts and bloodshed. As mainland China is still blocking access to most forms of social media, like YouTube and Instagram, as a Hongkonger, I am now becoming aware that we are starting to be pulled backward. The government has even labeled the movement as a case of public disorder and turmoil, while from many of the citizens’ point of view, it is one of the largest-scale pro-democracy events in history. In spite of the intense situations and violence, I am proud of our citizens and how they were willing to devote themselves, and to be brave enough to speak out. I am so thankful every time I see a yellow umbrella; I find faith in it.
The Author
Originally from Hong Kong, Chloe Chan used to work as a news media editor. She came to Gwangju for Korean studies and is currently volunteering at the GIC.