So, here we are. You have read my story and it was lovely. Yet, something major is missing - a purpose. Although everything has purpose, let me take some time to clue you into mine.

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First, it's important  to understand the general history of Hong Kong. Dating to 221 BC, Hong Kong (before it was known as Hong Kong) was a prominent fishing village during the Qin dynasty. There has been speculation that Hong Kong flourished as a salt production site, but this has not been confirmed. It also was a major pearl hunting harbor throughout the 900’s and is known for pearls still today. During the Tang dynasty, the Guangdong region (where Hong Kong is), became known as an international trading center. What’s now known as the New Territories (the northern part of Hong Kong) has flourished as a port, naval base, salt production center, and pearl hunting area.

 

In 1898, the British government colonized the New Territories and New Kowloon. Eventually, it evolved into a free port that played an important role in the first and second Opium War. The event of interest, however, arises after the Second Opium War, in which the British gained a perpetual lease over the Kowloon Peninsula (the main island of Hong Kong) under the belief they could maintain free trade in this buffer zone. Forty years later, a 99-year lease agreement was established between the British and Chinese governments to create the “One Country, Two Systems” regime. On July 1, 1997, the lease was set to end and control of Hong Kong was to be transferred to the People’s Republic of China with the promise that China would rule from afar and leave Hong Kong to its own practices for 50 years. This is where I want to focus: the day of “The Handover” and its expiration date in 2047.

 

The unique history of Hong Kong includes a mix of British and Chinese roots, as well as influences from a brief period of Japanese occupation. With 156 years of British rule, Hong Kong has adopted English as a second national language, the UK education system, and a multitude of westernized foods. Additionally, modern day Hong Kong is home to many expatriates from Europe and other areas of the world due to its esteemed reputation as a financial district. Even with this influence, Hong Kong still holds onto its Cantonese heritage through Cantonese opera, cuisine, and religion. Throughout time, Hong Kong has adapted to all these influences to create what is known as Hongkongese culture.

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Three years prior to the Handover, Hong Kong had been introduced democratic reforms to

develop western-style democracy. The Handover, however, had ruined the chances for the

continuation of these reforms. Since, the British Foreign Affairs Select Committee has tried to

return to Hong Kong to inquire about the progress of the Sino-British Joint Declaration (official

declaration of the Handover), but has been denied by the Chinese government. They have

also urged democratic progress in Hong Kong, still with denial from China’s foreign ministry

spokesman, stating that the document is “a historical document and no longer has any practical significance.” Essentially, the UK has no sovereignty, no power to rule, and no power to

supervise Hong Kong after the Handover in 1997.

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Prominent parties include the Pro-Establishment camp, Pro-Beijing camp, Hong Kong Autonomy Movement, Nativist, and a multitude of others. Resistant actions to Chinese rule that have been documented in Hong Kong include waiving a British flag at soccer games and booing at the Chinese national anthem, as well as supportive action for China such as pouring red paint over the statue of Queen Victoria. 

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Second, my personal journey with this topic has been a long one. Over the summer of 2017, I spent ten weeks in southeast Asia, specifically two in Singapore and eight in Hong Kong. And while my time in Asia was worthwhile, I had a unique experience being an outsider during a highly political event. I've narrated my experience below:

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Signs around the city had been put up within the week and the excitement of our group could be felt in the room. We sat together drinking and eating ramen in the hall of our hotel, reminiscing of the exciting events of the week and the plans for days to come. There was a celebration coming up; although we were bummed it didn’t get us out of work because it was on a Saturday, we looked forward to the parades and parties that were bound to happen. We didn’t bother looking up official events, we just planned to wake up early, grab some booze, and roam the streets of Hong Kong to experience whatever was going on.

 

Finally, Saturday came and we all were out the door by 9 am. We went to our favorite convenience store in Lan Kwai Fong before making our way towards the central square. The streets were busy as the normal Saturday bustle started to pick up and the city started to wake. I remember seeing everyone – the men in suits that were stuck with work on the weekend, the Filipino families congregating on their picnic blankets, tourists roaming aimlessly on the streets, and natives trying to push through the crowds to get to their destination – but I don’t remember hearing anything. The city had a sound to it, a smell even, in its every day operations. There is nothing like the sounds of Hong Kong. It surrounds you, it fills you, it gives you an energy you didn’t know you had or even needed. But today, today was different. It felt as if Hong Kong had lost its edge. And while my friends and I walked down the ever-steep hills of the island, I couldn’t help but notice this difference.

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While still in Hong Kong, I didn't think much about this experience. It occurred relatively early in my stay and I didn't have the handle on the city yet to understand the dynamic. After talking with my mentors in my office and other natives to the area, I was able to learn a little more about the history and the general consensus (from my obviously biased sample) of the Hong Kong people. With this, I didn't do much. I went on my own way from the city, taking the countless memories and experiences with me, but didn't reflect on the consequences of this political relationship because I figured it didn't affect me. Here I am, a visitor to a beautiful country, inserting myself into their issues and speculating on a relationship that doesn't involve me.

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But after coming back and thinking about it on a deeper level I realized I do have the right to think about this. In fact, we all should. We all should be aware of this political dispute and all the others that exist in the world because knowledge is power. And if we have the facts, the differing opinions, and a little bit of heart, we can begin to understand the people thousands of miles away from us. We can begin to understand the world. 

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So, that became my project topic – something I cared about and an opportunity to spend all semester learning and expressing this topic in a free way. When thinking about the medium in which I wanted to do this, I knew I wanted to provide a fictional perspective. Why? Because I don't know about you, but I hate reading about politics. And while this may seem surprising that I would essentially waste my precious college years doing something I don’t enjoy (since I'm a political science major), it may not be too advantageous to claim that most people don’t enjoy reading about politics. That isn’t to say most don’t enjoy politics in general – it is encased in our daily lives and primes the interest of a large population – but the medium in which politically-charged arguments are discussed is just rather… boring.

 

Thus, my project was born.