One China, two different worlds: how the great political divide is on full show overseas amid Hong Kong chaos

Hong Kong students abroad have described an atmosphere of fear, intimidation and vitriol in dealing with ultra-nationalistic mainland Chinese since the city’s anti-government protests broke out

With the gulf in understanding showing little sign of narrowing, universities are now grappling with concerns about freedom of speech

Reading Time:7 minutes

Protesters supporting Hong Kong’s anti-government demonstrations make their feelings known in Vancouver last weekend. Photo: AFP

Published: 4:00am, 25 Aug 2019Updated: 11:04am, 26 Aug 2019

The abuse began pouring in barely an hour after Sharon Wong left the anti-government demonstration at the University of South Australia in Adelaide, supporting Hong Kong’s protesters.

“You stupid dog,” said one expletive-laced message sent to her on WeChat, the popular Chinese social messaging app, before graphically describing her mother engaging in sex acts with British men.

Another described 25-year-old Wong participating in explicit sex acts with “foreigners” and her “foreign daddy”.

Next, she found her picture circulating on WeChat. She believes it was snapped by one of the dozens of mainland Chinese students who turned up to counter the protest on August 16.

Even more disturbing, someone photographed her while she was shopping at a Costco store the next day, and put that picture on WeChat too.

It rattled her, and left her looking over her shoulder everywhere she went. “Who knows what they are going to do?” Wong said. “I keep feeling they will follow me home.”

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