Growing anti-Beijing sentiment is shifting focus away from Hong Kong's real problems
Han Zhu says it's unfair to blame Beijing for the conflicts in Hong Kong society that stem from rising social injustice as the city becomes increasingly marginalised in a globalised world
Hong Kong saw another big demonstration on July 1, when more than 100,000 people marched against the local government and Beijing. Despite having established an even closer economic relationship with mainland China since the handover, anti-Beijing sentiment has now become prevalent in the special administrative region.
But this is a manufactured problem. Beijing has been adhering to the "one country, two systems" policy on Hong Kong since 1997. Interference in Hong Kong affairs has been minimal. Instead, Beijing has offered tremendous assistance and support during difficult times.
The so-called "contradiction" between Hong Kong and mainland China is being propagated by those who want to shift the focus away from real conflicts within Hong Kong society. In the past decade, Hong Kong's economy has become increasingly marginalised in the wave of globalisation. Domination by big businesses, the gap between rich and poor, and social injustice have all got worse. Taking advantage of such internal conflicts, some foreign political forces and local politicians have shifted the blame to Beijing and mainlanders. No solution can be found without recognising this reality.
Manufacturing, once employing 20 per cent of the working population, was a pillar of Hong Kong's economy. As globalisation and China's market reforms took off, Hong Kong's manufacturing sector contracted as factories moved north. From about one million in the early 1980s, the number of Hong Kong workers in the manufacturing sector had dropped to about 20,000 last year. While this is a common problem for all developed economies, Hong Kong suffers much more than its Western counterparts for one reason - the West, with its leading position in hi-tech and luxury brands, is still making high profits globally, whereas in Hong Kong, low-end jobs in retailing, food and beverage, logistics, and transport have become the only options for ordinary working-class citizens.
Secondly, property prices have skyrocketed. Moving north enabled Hong Kong factory owners to reap huge profits in the 1980s and 1990s. The profits, however, didn't stay in China and flowed back to Hong Kong, mostly into real estate.
As a result, Hong Kong has become polarised, with big businesses and low-end workers increasing while the middle class is disappearing. Society has entered an unstable phase.