How did that happen? Connecting the dots on critical Hong Kong events that have changed the city forever
- How a murder in Taiwan and mainland mums giving birth in Hong Kong sparked major crises
- Ongoing protests put the spotlight on landmark cases that triggered unforeseeable effects
“What is the butterfly effect? A Hong Kong scumbag killed his pregnant girlfriend in Taiwan, leading to a ban on mainland China watching the NBA,” railed an angry basketball fan on Chinese blogging website Weibo on October 8, 2019.
The mainland netizen was referring to the case of Hongkonger Chan Tong-kai, 20, the prime suspect in his girlfriend’s murder in February 2018. Chan returned to Hong Kong but could not be sent back to Taiwan to help in investigations because there is no extradition arrangement between the island and Hong Kong.
The butterfly effect refers to incidents which have unexpected, far-reaching repercussions, and that Taiwan murder fits the description. Few expected the fallout when Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said she was prompted by the Taiwan murder to push for legislative amendments to allow fugitives such as Chan to be sent to jurisdictions with which the city has no extradition arrangement.
Her extradition bill triggered protests over fears that fugitives would end up being sent to mainland China. Although Lam has since withdrawn the bill, some said the move came too late and too much anti-government hatred had been sown. The protests have continued, become increasingly violent and broadened into demands for democratic reform and universal suffrage.
Sharply anti-mainland, the protests have become a sensitive subject with Beijing, especially when foreigners comment and take the side of the protesters.