Democracy or Sinophobia? It’s hard to tell in Hong Kong
- If a political bargain was struck with city promising no more talk of universal suffrage and Beijing barring all mainland arrivals, we all know what the reaction would be
John Pierpont Morgan was a keen observer of human nature. “A man always has two reasons for doing anything,” he once said, “a good reason and the real reason.”
Morgan’s observation applies especially in politics, such as Hong Kong’s anti-government protests.
Ostensibly, it’s all about fighting for freedom and democracy, and the future of the city’s youth. Well, that’s what most mainstream foreign media tell their readers. It’s the reason that sounds good, and the one cited by American politicians to interfere in Hong Kong affairs. In reality, that’s for Washington to gain more leverage over China at a time of intense rivalry as opposed to “standing with the people of Hong Kong” because we inspire Americans, to quote US Vice-President Mike Pence.
Even the most misguided Hong Kong rioters wouldn’t think that destroying their own city would magically bring about freedom and democracy, and secure a bright future for themselves. But it does seem worthwhile for many locals if that means driving away mainlanders by making the city inhospitable. There’s a word for that: Sinophobia.
Applying this word to Hong Kong people wouldn’t have made sense even a couple of years ago. But it does now. Once, most locals considered themselves Chinese. Not any more: the younger the population segments, the more of them would reject any Chinese identity. That may be difficult for the older generations to understand. But just think gender fluidity. If you can deny your sex or gender, surely you can deny your nationality and race.
We have rejected wealthy mainlanders (for driving up the property market); middle-class mainland tourists (for occupying our public spaces); and poor mainlanders (for immigrating here and exploiting our social welfare and public housing). Parallel traders, “big mama” buskers, Mandarin speakers or anyone who speaks Cantonese with an accent – all are suspect. Tourism is down 40 per cent – that’s magic to the ears of some locals!
We have “good reason” to resist Beijing’s interference, whether real or imagined, in Hong Kong. But let’s do a thought experiment because such a deal would never be acceptable to the central government. Let’s say we have a grand political bargain between Hong Kong and Beijing: the city’s political status quo will be maintained indefinitely – no more talk of universal suffrage – but Beijing will henceforth bar all mainlanders from coming to Hong Kong.
Do you think most Hongkongers would go for it? I think we know the answer.