https://www.scmp.com/rss/326381/feed David A. Rezvani, D.Phil. Oxford University, teaches at Dartmouth College. He is the author of "Surpassing the Sovereign State: The Wealth, Self-Rule, and Security Advantages of Partially Independent Territories" (Oxford University Press, 2014). He is working on a new book on Hong Kong’s autonomous status amidst Chinese authoritarian rule. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com There have been two – not one – historic Hong Kong handovers to China. The first, which most people know about, was a handover in 1997 of territory and sovereignty from Britain to the People’s Republic of China. The second handover, which is less well known, occurred in June 2005. During that period, polling data from the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute indicated that, for the first time in modern history, a majority of Hong Kong’s people saw their primary identity as Chinese (rather... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3176387/beijing-will-win-over-hong-kong-listening-public-opinion-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3176387/beijing-will-win-over-hong-kong-listening-public-opinion-not?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 May 2022 22:30:29 +0000 Some are concerned that the rules created by the 2020 national security law will diminish Hong Kong’s system of rule of law. They, for example, point out that under the current system, when there is disagreement with the pre-2020 Basic Law, the national security law will dominate. Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal acknowledged this last year when it said it would not review “any alleged incompatibility as between the NSL [national security law] and the Basic Law or the International Covenant on... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3167414/national-security-how-stifling-political-dissent-became?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3167414/national-security-how-stifling-political-dissent-became?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Feb 2022 22:45:11 +0000 Should central government leaders be able to exercise autocratic powers in some circumstances to curtail the operation of local democratic institutions? Although this question applies to Beijing’s relationship with Hong Kong, there are other cases in the world where this issue has been examined that provide interesting comparisons. In 1972 and again in 2000, Britain unilaterally suspended Northern Ireland’s parliament. Before taking these steps – much like Hong Kong’s relationship with China –... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3114538/hong-kong-national-security-law-britains-northern-ireland-troubles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3114538/hong-kong-national-security-law-britains-northern-ireland-troubles?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Dec 2020 02:15:05 +0000 Proponents of the so-called China model heap praise on the central government. They assert that China’s remarkable economic rise is because of the Communist Party’s system of meritocracy, adaptability and legitimacy with the people. Whatever the merits of such arguments, it is obvious that such features are the opposite of what Beijing’s appointees in Hong Kong have managed to achieve, in the aftermath of their disastrously misguided extradition bill efforts. Meritocracy has failed — no... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3025171/has-china-forgotten-how-order-was-restored-hong-kong-after-2003?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3025171/has-china-forgotten-how-order-was-restored-hong-kong-after-2003?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Sep 2019 01:00:14 +0000 “People are concerned about the possible withdrawal of foreign capital from Hong Kong. But so long as our policies are appropriate, capital that leaves Hong Kong will return … China will courageously face this catastrophe.” Deng Xiaoping said these words in September 1982, just before Hong Kong’s markets took a dive amid jitters over Sino-British talks regarding the territory's future. Today, a similar loss of market confidence would be far more damaging. Hong Kong, China’s largest centre for... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3013895/extradition-law-wont-be-worth-resultant-loss-market-confidence-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3013895/extradition-law-wont-be-worth-resultant-loss-market-confidence-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Jun 2019 22:35:06 +0000 What do the following words have in common: “independent institutions”, “high degrees of autonomy”, “Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong” and “masters in your own house”? These are all words that China’s top leaders have repeatedly used in the Basic Law as well as in speeches and policy documents to describe Hong Kong’s political status. They are also words that reflect widespread academic and legal definitions of self-determination. What Agnes Chow’s election ban means for Joshua Wong and youth... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2131410/why-agnes-chow-and-self-determination-should-not-scare-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2131410/why-agnes-chow-and-self-determination-should-not-scare-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Feb 2018 03:19:22 +0000