City Beat | Long-delayed ‘Two Sessions’ will spell fate of Hong Kong amid China-US grappling

It does not take a genius to see Hong Kong is not a bystander, but part of the ‘grappling’ between China and the United States

The only certainty about China-US relations is that Hong Kong is the affected ‘fish in the moat’

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It does not take a genius to see Hong Kong is not a bystander but part of the ‘grappling’ between China and the United States. Photo: AFP

Published: 6:27pm, 17 May 2020Updated: 11:02pm, 17 May 2020

When Beijing resumes its long-delayed annual gatherings of the national legislature and the country’s top political advisory body later this week in what is known as the “Two Sessions”, the world will be watching how China resets directions for its post-Covid-19 economic recovery.

But for Hongkongers, what matters more is Beijing’s latest policy adjustment for this troubled city and how, in particular, it will push ahead with local adoption of national security legislation – a constitutional obligation Hong Kong has yet to fulfil 23 years after its return to Chinese sovereignty.

“Enough is enough” seems to be the sentiment up north in Beijing, not just because anti-government protests are back before the coronavirus crisis is even over, but also due to Hong Kong getting caught up in the latest China-US tensions.

Instead of much needed cooperation to lead the global fight against the pandemic, the two major powers are locked in a finger-pointing match, with US President Donald Trump even threatening to cut ties with China and declaring he has no interest in speaking to President Xi Jinping, whom he used to call his “good friend”.

Concerns that this new “Cold War” of the 21st century may lead to disaster are not unfounded. The two leaders need global allies, which leaves many governments – from Asia to Europe, Africa and around the world – feeling the heat over where they should stand.

For Hongkongers, what matters most is how Beijing will push ahead with local adoption of national security legislation, a constitutional obligation the city has yet to fulfil. Photo: Handout

It may sound like it smacks of the pulpit, but in politics, willingly or not, taking sides is but the hard reality if one does not have enough wisdom or political capital to play the manoeuvring game.

This is even more so for Hong Kong under “one country, two systems”, Beijing’s special governing formula which allows the city to maintain close economic and trade ties with the US, but no political capital to bargain with either Beijing or Washington. The arrangement enables Washington to treat Hong Kong separately from the rest of China for trade and economic activities.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}City Beat | Long-delayed ‘Two Sessions’ will spell fate of Hong Kong amid China-US grappling

City Beat | Long-delayed ‘Two Sessions’ will spell fate of Hong Kong amid China-US grappling