During Hong Kong’s National Day on July 1st, the visiting Chinese president Xi Jinping proclaimed the “beginning of true democracy” in Hong Kong after the mainland regained formal control over the territory exactly 25 years ago. In a venue closed for the public and journalists, after having deployed a huge security force, these words conveyed a chilling message to the world. To most Western spectators, this is a confusing, perhaps even silly statement. By referring to “true democracy”, Mr. Xi not only suggests the Communist Party of China (CPC) has implemented a democratic system in Hong Kong, but also that only China understands the real meaning of democracy. When I read about Mr. Xi’s speech, I could feel my head shaking from left to right. Surely, nobody can take this claim seriously. Or is there more to it?
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Hong Kong, one year in
It has been one year since my girlfriend Marlot and I moved to Hong Kong to start our new life as (semi-)expats. Thinking back on the past year, many wonderful experiences come to mind. Life in Hong Kong is, for one thing, very diverse. With one of the highest numbers of millionaires (about one in seven), some 20% of the city’s population lives below the poverty line. Ranked the world’s most liberal economy, Hong Kong has a certain winner-takes-all philosophy: only the very rich can afford the ridiculously expensive real estate, while many working-class families are forced to cramp in tiny apartments. Its surroundings are very mixed, too. From futuristic skyscrapers to deserted islands with clear-water packed with thick jungle − this place really has it all.
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China Hand 