An open letter to separatists in the SAR: What do you really want?

Dear separatists,

So you want freedom, but from what? In Hong Kong, you have all the freedoms in the world. You can say whatever you like and do whatever you like as long as it’s within the law. In other words, you cannot defame or kill anyone, or take or destroy other people’s property with impunity. Not one freedom has been taken away since the handover in 1997, and all freedoms are enshrined in the Basic Law.

This is what Hong Kong was before 1997 and remains the same thereafter. All Hong Kong residents, including the current rioters and protesters, enjoy these freedoms and the international applause bestowed upon Hong Kong for its way of life. Hong Kong was the envy of the world.

So when we hear the war cry “We want freedom”, obviously they are not referring to our way of life. They want “freedom” from China. But why? What has the Chinese mainland done to them to make them want to break away? We all enjoy the way of life as we did before 1997, and yes, we have domestic problems, such as affordable housing — a universal problem even in the most advanced democracies! But that is not enough to make a total break from our country, which is responsible for our defense and foreign policies. The Chinese mainland has helped out Hong Kong overcome our most economic dire straits over the years — numerous times! In fact, we have a wonderfully successful symbiotic economic relationship with the mainland. We also enjoy so many preferential treatments in the process that we must be the envy of our economic rivals in the region!

So, dear separatists, how are you going to achieve this “freedom” when it is stated clearly in the Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration that Hong Kong is an inalienable part of the People’s Republic of China? That is fact!

First, you’ll need a leader to guide you through this tangled web of what’s to be done. Do you know anyone to stand up and take this challenge? Then you have to break away from China, which you know China will not allow, just as Spain will not allow Catalonia to break away, nor will the US allow California to break away. In fact, no sovereign state will allow any of its territories to break away.

But let’s assume you get this far in your little game of trivia; how will Hong Kong survive? Have you really thought your “freedom” through? Hong Kong consumes about 1 billion cubic meters of water per year, of which 70 to 80 percent comes from the mainland. How will people survive? Hong Kong is also a signatory to some 6,000 international treaties, all of which will be terminated once Hong Kong, China, ceases to exist. Hong Kong will have no trading partners, and it will have no tourists because there will be no air nor shipping agreements. And of course, you’ll have to build up an army because the People’s Liberation Army won’t be there to protect you. While we are at it, have you considered the financial and human resources required to build and maintain a standing army, how it would impact our economic growth, and how it would be received by young Hong Kong residents — the potential conscripts?

For Hong Kong to be an independent state, it will need new passports for its citizens as well as new agreements for its citizens to travel to agreed destinations, which cannot happen because of the lack of aircraft and cruise liners.

Oh, dear separatists, what “freedom” are you really fighting for? It’s not for freedom of expression, speech, assembly, religion, etc., as outlined in the Basic Law, because none of these freedoms has been broken or infringed upon within the scope of the law. And it’s not for the freedom to break away from the sovereignty of China because that is impossible.

The “freedom fighters” have only two issues, and Hong Kong’s livelihood doesn’t get a mention. This means they are not protesting against governance, but for issues dear to the heart of the international community: freedom and democracy.

Hong Kong never had any form of democracy under British administration for most of its tenure. It was ruled by a government appointed by the British prime minister without any consultation with Hong Kong people, and its legislature was appointed by the governor, not the people. Except in 1995, when the then governor Chris Patten introduced the first, and only, fully elected legislative election in the colonial period. This was disbanded during the handover in 1997, when a provisional legislature took over the lawmaking processes of Hong Kong. After a consultation period, from December 2013 to May 2014, a proposal for implementing universal suffrage in Hong Kong was submitted by the SAR government to the National People’s Congress on July 2014. On June 18, 2015, opposition lawmakers in the Legislative Council rejected the electoral reform proposal. As many countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have learned, democracy does not come overnight. And in the case of the US and UK, it took centuries.

The proposals are still on the table, but before they can be reintroduced, there will need to be another round of consultation and amendments to the existing format. This will take time and can be considered only when Hong Kong is in a less-emotional state.

So what is the purpose of the riots expressed through indiscriminate vandalism and violence against innocent fellow citizens?

None! You “freedom fighters” have the sole objective of humiliating Beijing on the global stage and nothing else. How immature can you be, expecting a great country like China to bend to your infantile self-delusions! Unfortunately, Hong Kong has become the pawn in this game, and it will be the only loser.

Sincerely yours,

Mark Pinkstone

The author is a long-time Hong Kong resident and former government chief information officer, public relations and media consultant, and veteran journalist.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.