Opinion | Democratic reform is the best way to protect Hong Kong’s autonomy and halt the cycle of protests and repression

Lack of autonomy is at the heart of protests past and present. A democratically elected government would be better placed to safeguard this, convey the city’s concerns in terms that are palatable to Beijing, and end the protests

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Published: 6:15am, 23 Oct 2019Updated: 6:36am, 23 Oct 2019

How should we understand the ever-escalating violence, as the protests have lasted for 20 weeks, and where should we look for a solution that might bring the protests to a satisfactory end?

The historic effectiveness of non-violent protests in Hong Kong has largely depended on who is calling the shots, Hong Kong or Beijing. This same issue, which relates to the sufficiency of Hong Kong’s autonomy, is where a solution to the ongoing protests must be found.

Looking back at the many protests in Hong Kong – in 2003, over Article 23; in 2009, over the high-speed rail; in 2012, over national education; in 2014, over democracy, and; the current anti-extradition/democracy protest – a common denominator is that when the Hong Kong government is free to respond to demands, solutions can typically be found.

This was evident in two massive non-violent protests, the Article 23 demonstrations, where the draconian bill was ultimately withdrawn, and in the proposal over national education that was ultimately withdrawn. Such a local climbdown was also evident when Hongkongers fought off the proposed extradition bill: Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s self-admitted misjudgment produced a bill that is ultimately to be withdrawn.

If Beijing is seen to override Hong Kong’s autonomy to dictate outcomes, protests are more likely to be sustained and violent. This is not surprising, as the question of Beijing’s interference and the resultant diminution of Hong Kong’s autonomy has been at the heart of nearly all mass protests.

Accordingly, for the current protests, a critical reflection on the enduring official failure to guard Hong Kong’s autonomy should be the main focus of any effort to resolve the crisis and lay a better foundation going forward. An immediate step is for Beijing to step back and for the Hong Kong government to react appropriately and with moderation to the public concerns articulated by the masses.

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