To Beijing, the Hong Kong protest unrest is now a threat on a national level

The unrest must stop. This is no longer just about Hong Kong but a matter of China’s national sovereignty and security. For Hongkongers to ignore Beijing’s messages or shrug them off is a big mistake

Bernard Chan

Published: 6:30am, 30 Aug 2019

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Hong Kong’s protests and unrest have now lasted for nearly three months. What started out as marches against the extradition bill – which the government subsequently abandoned – has turned into a show of wider discontent.

There have been many peaceful assemblies. But some incidents have been violent, leading to injuries, and some have involved vandalism of public buildings. Several actions have seriously disrupted transport and other facilities – even closing the airport.

Protest themes have broadened. Some are aimed at the police. Others reflect broader anti-government feeling arising from the handling of the extradition bill and other policy failings over many years. Many participants support the “five big demands”, including a call for political change – which are far too complex for a quick response.

Among other things, we have seen the destruction of national symbols and the flag, and slogans have appeared, on “liberating” Hong Kong, “revolution”, or simply stating that “Hong Kong is not China”.

I believe there is a way out of this. But to start on that and move on, we must take a step back and accept that this is not simply about Hong Kong. This has become a national issue.

While we are focusing on the local angle, the central people’s government sees the situation here as a concern for the whole country. Yet, amazingly, a huge number of people and groups in Hong Kong play down, or even ignore, what Beijing has to say.

For many years, the central people’s government has avoided commenting much on Hong Kong. This reflects the “one country, two systems” principle and the Basic Law, which give considerable authority to the local Hong Kong administration.

We should therefore sit up and take notice when Beijing does publicly talk about Hong Kong affairs. And it has done so several times in the past four weeks.

The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office held an unprecedented press conference on Hong Kong at the end of last month. It held another the following week, and also hosted a day-long meeting with hundreds of Hong Kong business and other figures in Shenzhen.

The messages from these events were clear. Officials stated that Beijing would stand solidly behind the Hong Kong administration, supported firm legal action to enforce law and order in Hong Kong, and firmly opposed any threat to “one country, two systems”.

I understand that Hong Kong people are not used to the mainland government spokesmen’s speaking style and rhetoric. But that is most definitely not a reason to ignore these messages.

Whether you agree with that perspective is not the point – the point is we must accept that this is how Beijing sees things

We should also pay attention to certain commentators and columns – which are known to closely reflect top-level thinking – in Chinese state media like People’s Daily and Xinhua . If you follow these sources, you will have no doubts about Beijing’s perspective.

Look at these articles and you will see, over and again, that China’s senior leadership genuinely perceive unrest in Hong Kong as a threat on the national level.

China will never tolerate any challenge to ‘one country, two systems’ bottom line

To use phrases in a recent official commentary, there is no room for activity that might “harm the security of national sovereignty”, “challenge the power of the central government”, and which may be using Hong Kong to “infiltrate and damage the mainland”.

Chinese leaders refer to these as “three bottom lines”. In other words, these activities are absolutely unacceptable. As Beijing also says, such actions have “characteristics of a colour revolution”.

That same article also promises “the harshest legal punishment” to those responsible if such challenges continue.

One core message that Beijing officials have publicly repeated is that there can be no backing down in the face of forces creating unrest and posing threats. Another is that the central authorities will not sit back if things get out of control.

Many Hongkongers shrug off these phrases. But the messages are clear and are very serious. They show us Beijing’s perspective. Whether you agree with that perspective is not the point – the point is that we must accept that this is how Beijing sees things.

I have said before that, once we have restored calm, the community can move on. Things will not go back to the old ways – I am sure that Hong Kong will get serious on issues like housing and giving people a bigger voice.

But before that can happen, we should recognise that this is not simply a local, Hong Kong issue. To the central government, the unrest and disorder in our city is a national issue – involving sovereignty, national security and a potential threat to the country as a whole.

Bernard Chan is convenor of Hong Kong’s Executive Council

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