CONTEXT

Protests in Hong Kong have evolved over nearly three months.

Background of the protests

1. The movement evolved from a movement against a proposed law that would allow people accused of certain crimes to be extradited to the Chinese mainland — to a wider expression of public anger at the Chinese state’s curbs on democracy and the city’s special status within the People’s Republic.
2. China has been labeling the pro-democracy protestors as anarchists, radicals or terrorists.
3. These protests have been compared to the 1989 demonstrations in mainland China, which culminated in the Tiananmen Square massacre. 
4. The movement now threatens to bring economic activity in the global financial hub to a standstill.
5. Despite China’s accession to the original demand of scrapping of the extradition law, the protests continue.

China – Hong Kong relationship

1.  In 1997, it was decided that China would be “one country, two systems”, and Hong Kong would continue to enjoy its autonomy.
2. That promise has been eroded by refusing to allow direct elections for the chief executive’s post.

Way ahead

1. There is a need for the Chinese state to adapt to its promise it made to Hong Kong.

A country with superpower ambitions, negotiating massive international investments through the Belt and Road Initiative, cannot be seen incapable of delivering on the promise of federalism and autonomy.