Q&A: Feng Wei fields a range of questions, from city’s economic development to democratic processes

Q: There has been a growing trend of radicalism in Hong Kong in recent years and the Mong Kok riot has sparked concern about activists resorting to violent protest methods. Is the central government looking into the reasons for this worrying trend?

A: Since more than a decade ago, radical forces have appeared on the political arena in Hong Kong and have had a considerable impact on Hong Kong’s political culture and functioning of the city’s political system. The trend has been developing in the past few years, as seen in the opposition to national education and the Occupy Central protests.

The tendency of resorting to violence was notable in the Mong Kok riot. We are very concerned about this and are analysing its reasons as well as its trend of development. Perhaps in the future this is a phenomenon which will merit more of our attention, though this is something we do not want to see.

Q: Has the central government figured out why?

A: The reasons for this phenomenon are complicated. For economic reasons, neighbouring countries and regions have been developing rapidly in the past two decades and their economic growth has significantly surpassed that of Hong Kong. While the median income in Hong Kong has barely increased in two decades, property prices have soared.

Problems with the economy affect people’s livelihoods and give rise to social conflicts. The mode of behaviour and way of thinking of young people who grew up in the age of the internet differ from that of the previous generation. The new generation acquires information and knowledge from cyberspace and connects with society through the internet. Young people become self-centred and the importance of the individual is highlighted in communications through the internet. They generally adopt a critical stance on social and political issues while they are more inclined to challenge authority and act on impulse.