Opinion | Hong Kong protests are a fight for the city’s identity as the ‘edge’ between Chinese and Western culture
- Hong Kong’s identity is an example of what the field of ecology terms an ‘edge’ – a belt of life between two different ecological systems
- Hongkongers must focus on what can be done to avoid assimilation by either side, including attempts by the US to push Chinese influence out of the city
As we come out of a long, hot, violent summer, Hong Kong definitely looks very much the worse for wear. How did we get to this point?
So, what is this “special Hong Kong identity”? Very simply, Hong Kong is what I call a “cultural edge effect”.
The term “edge effect” comes from the discipline of ecology. An “edge” in this context is a belt of life that occurs between two very different ecological systems. This area has much more richness and diversity than either of the other systems, as well as its own unique species.
For well over 100 years (four to five generations), Hong Kong has had English common law, a Chinese work ethic and British bureaucracy forming its legal and business landscape. Because of the challenges of imposing one set of rules on people coming from different cultures, we have had a very hands-off approach to governance.