How China Is Remaking Hong Kong in Its Own Image

It’s been five years since pro-democracy protests rocked Hong Kong. Since then, China has tightened its grip on the territory, restricting civil liberties, arresting dozens of opposition figures and passing sweeping changes to its political system. These days, the Asian financial hub is looking increasingly similar to the mainland. So what does that mean for the city’s future?

00:00 Introduction
00:41 Hong Kong’s handover
1:19 Protests over civil liberties
2:42 Beijing pushes ahead
4:46 Infrastructure to the mainland
7:14 Outlook for city

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[fernr]

How come Britain never let Hong Kongers choose their leader? I thought they believed in democracy

[somerandomfella]

It's crazy that HK was given up to the Brits as a drug debt

[amunra]

The governor of HK was ALWAYS appointed by the UK- never elected.

[hahaliu]

one big difference between people in HK and people in mainland is that, mainlander think the occupation of HK by British is a big humiliation, while many HKer are proud of those history

[moyoyo]

China makes HK in its own image, but, at what

[canto_v]

Hong Kong has never been a forgiving place for the working class, even in its 1980s heyday it was a place where the global elite come and go. Pretty typical of a small, closed city-state-type territory, and nor was it ever democratic under Britain. At a macro level, its economic fortunes have been tied to those of China since the 1980s when it gained a monopoly over the export of Chinese goods. That monopoly already waned by the early 2000s and is now long gone.

We can't just wish Hong Kong back to a time when China didn't know how to build and run a seaport. The political crisis in 2019 was just a red herring for Hong Kong's bigger problems of decreasing relevance as a trade port.

Locally, the biggest problems are the lack of living space and a lack of career diversity. Time will tell how quickly John Lee's administration can help prop up the subsidised housing supply which has dwindled since the Tung Chee-hwa administration more than 20 years ago.

[soonpohtay]

Another White Anglo Saxon speaks..".we rule the world. Only we can make countries in our own image."

[sili]

The vlogger said Hong Kong will only get better in the future because for sure Hong Kong will become a city just the same as any other mainland cities. And what makes Hong Kong unique will no longer exist.
So depending on what you define on “better”…..

[baotutubenbenxiong]

As a guy living in Shenzhen I just trying to figure out why your videoclip from 9:10 intentionally make the brightness of light down to a grey level from maybe 245/255 to nearly 128/255. you think this funny? This supermarket is one of three Sam's club store in Shenzhen, the store is owned by American, so even if you want to depict CHina as horrible place, you should not choose an American supermarket right? Ridiculous.

[Amidat]

Very telling that the woman who moved to the UK was already an English speaker. The woman who moved to Mainland China only speaks Chinese dialects. Shows you right there the difference in mind and attitude. One wants to be western and one is fine being Chinese.

[hosackies]

Hk has always been the only place in the world where it produces highly sophisticated, hard working and educated refugees for other countries to prosper off with.

[elmeribarra]

Here in Australia, there are many Hong Kong citizens have settled here now. Very soon, Hong Kong will just be another Chinese mainland city. It's uniqueness is now swallowed by China.

[halleyoey]

Canada freezes bank account of protester. A country right next to america 😂

[letsgowalk]

As an overseas Cantonese, I’ve never lived in HK, but I always viewed it as the mecca of my culture, and it has a special place in my heart. It saddens me that the culture is quickly being eradicated.

[sombrerogalaxy]

British colonizers made North America, Australia and New Zealand in its own image and killed the native people off. At least HK is Chinese land.

[CWLOUISLAW]

Wait, did Hong Kong were allowed to choose their own governor or were they all appointed by the British? From what read, it was only recently prior to the hand over that they had limited amount of voting rights (but never has equal rights as British subjects.).

[johnsonzhong]

Don's just speak, please allow all Hongkong citizens to migrate to the UK, and offer them jobs.

[Drownedinblood]

Wouldn't it be more like British remade hk in its image in the first place? But not really cuz they didn't see the chinese that resided on it as equals?

[nmew]

Hong Kong is just another Chinese city. PRC don't need HK more than they need Hangzhou, Dalian or Tianjin

[tonipwneroni]

"I don't care about politics" is code for "I care only about myself"