Monday marks five years since China imposed a draconian national security law on Hong Kong, criminalizing dissent and bringing the semi-autonomous city to heel after months of pro-democracy, anti-government demonstrations that drew as many as 2 million protesters into the streets.
“The law itself was a weapon for Beijing to silence dissent in Hong Kong, but it also marked the turning point for a total crackdown that soon infiltrated all aspects of life,” journalist Karen Cheung wrote in 2022. “Within a year, the government would find ways to rid itself of all opposition lawmakers and district councilors, shut down the city’s largest pro-democracy newspaper, and promote former cops to top political positions.”
Now, Hong Kong has become a cautionary tale for many pro-democracy activists around the world. The collection of essays below explores how China’s crackdown has reshaped life in the city, from its surreal show trials to the transformation of civil society.
How to Love Hong Kong Despite Everything
Surviving in the impossible city is still worth the price, Karen Cheung writes.
Hong Kong’s Warning Signs for America
A graphic novel plays out a nightmarish scenario of authoritarianism in the hopes of waking us up, FP’s Lili Pike writes.
How I Became a Prop in Hong Kong’s Show Trials
Beijing is using torture and coercion in its case against Jimmy Lai, Luke de Pulford writes.
Hong Kong’s Bureaucrats Don’t Make Good Authoritarians
Local officials are inflexible about implementing Beijing’s orders, Joshua Yang writes.
Hong Kong Is a Local Tragedy, Not a Geopolitical Shuttlecock
Understanding oppression requires layered histories of the city itself, Shui-Yin Sharon Yam and Jeffrey Wasserstrom write.
The post How China’s Crackdown Has Reshaped Hong Kong appeared first on Foreign Policy.
