Nabila Jafer
Ms. Nabila Jaffer is a Research Analyst at the Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad.
DOI: http://DOI Number
Keywords: Extradition Bill, Hong Kong Basic Law, ‘One Country, Two Systems’, One China Policy, Separate Administrative Region, judicial autonomy, high degree of autonomy
Abstract
The different system of Hong Kong within China came under increasing international scrutiny following the massive protests, which started in June 2019. The diverging perspectives on the scale and purpose of the protests emerged as another area of conflict between the Chinese and the Western media. Initially, the protests started against the Chief Executive’s move on the extradition bill, which the people of Hong Kong feared would be used against the dissidents. The protests rocked the city with growing clashes and violence between the protesters and Hong Kong police. International media reported excessive use of force against protesters by the Hong Kong government on the instructions of Beijing. However, mainland China rejected the claims of excessive use of force as well as the strength of the protests in Hong Kong. China attempted to project them as dissent fomented by the rival countries targeted at China’s unprecedented rise. The disturbing images of the protests shown by international media with people in hundreds of thousands on the streets with placards presented a different view. This paper focuses on the dichotomy in the perspectives on Hong Kong’s protests in light of the ongoing power competition and propaganda war between China and the United States. It also attempts to explore the actual problem through a legal analysis of China’s One Country, Two Systems.
First Published
June 25, 2020
How to Cite
Nabila Jafer, “Conflicting Perspectives on Hong Kong’s 2019 Protests,” Regional Studies 38, no.2 (Summer 2020): 53-86, https://regionalstudies.com.pk/wp/article/conflicting-perspectives-on-hong-kongs-2019-protests/
Issue
Volume 38, Issue 2