20 FT.COM/MAGAZINEOCTOBER19/
◀one. Protests won’tdie down in Hong Kong and
younowseeawholegenerationofhigh-schoolstu-
dentsmobilising,theyare nowthepeoplewiththe
momentumtocarryonthemovement.”
With the prospectofdemocracyunlikely, the
best-casescenarioformanyisthatthe“onecountry,
twosystems”framework continuesbeyond 2047.
Protesters fear aworst-case scenario,inwhich
HongKong becomesanew Xinjiang, ahigh-tech
surveillancestatewhereatleastonemillionmostly
Muslim minoritiesare held in internmentcamps.
It is also possible thatinthe future,Hong Kongers
will be so thoroughlyindoctrinatedbypatriotic
educationthatthefightfordemocracywilleventu-
ally fizzleout.“Forthepast22 years,wedidn’t pay
enoughattention to theunderlying sentiments in
Hong Kong societybut [overthis summer]we’ve
learntourlesson,we’renowwatchingandstudying
very,veryclosely,”theChinesegovernmentofficial
whospoketomeonconditionofanonymitysaid.
Beijing has clamped down on companies and
organisationsitaccusesofshowing sympathy to
the protest movement,including CathayPacific
andAmerica’s NationalBasketballAssociation.
It is hard to envisagethis trajectory reversing.
Pro-democracyadvocatesalsofearBeijing’sinsidi-
ousintrusionintotheinstitutions–thecivilservice,
academia,themedia–thatdistinguishHongKong.
“IfChinamovestowardsagreaterdegreeofdemoc-
ratisation–whichisquiteunimaginableatthispointintime–thenHongKong’s autonomymaybemore
sustainableinthefuture,”saidBrianFong,aprofes-
sorattheEducationUniversityofHongKong.“But
we can’t even predictwhatwill happen next week,
howcanwepredictwhatwillhappenin2047?”
InHongKong,anxietiesarealsogrowingabout
the influxof mainlandChinese sweeping through
the city.One hundred and fifty aregrantedresi-
dencyeveryday. “Theconflictsbetweenmainland
Chinese and HongKongersarebecomingmore
widespread...the worst thingiswedon’t have a
populationpolicy, we can’t control howmany
people comefrom China,”arguesAuNok-Hin,
apro-democracy lawmaker who was recently
chargedwithassaulting policeofficers’ears
becausehetalkedtooloudlyintoaloudspeaker.
SamanthaZhang,25,isoneofthosegrantedres-
idency. Shemovedacrosstheborderwhenshewas
20 and nowsellsinsurance. “Tobehonest,Ireally
understand the protesters.IfIhad beenbornand
raisedhere, I’dalsobeonthe streets,” she tells me
overcurryinanupmarket shoppingdistrictpopu-
laramongChinesetourists.“AlotofuscametoHong
Kong from the mainlandbecausewewantedfree-
dom,Idon’t wantHong Kong to becomemoreand
morelikethemainland.Ireallylikemylifehere.”
Butshebelievestheprotesters’turntoviolence
–smashingthesubwaysystemandattackingbusi-
nessesthat have ties to themainland –has gone
toofar.Shealsoadmitsshe’s confusedaboutwhat
to believe.Beijinghas embarkedon an aggressive
campaign to portrayHongKong’s protestersas
thugssponsoredbyforeignactors,whichissowing
doubtin the mindsof manymainlandChinese.
“Mymotheris always warningme to makesure
Idon’t hang outwithany pro-independencesup-
porters,” shesays,droppinghervoicetoawhisper
in the rowdyrestaurantwhenshe uttersthe word
“pro-independence”.I
nearlyOctober,WuandImeetbytheharbour,
aday after HongKong’s governmentinvokes
colonial-era emergencylawstoban protest-
ers from wearingface masks–the first time
the ruleshavebeenusedinmorethan half a
century.I’ve neverheard Wu so furious,ashe
ragesabout the first protester shot by police four
days earlier.“The extraditionbill, the emergency
lawboth threatenour freedoms in HongKong so
much,”hesays,frombehindadentalmaskthathe
hasdonnedasanactofprotest.
Wu hasasupportivebosswho,afterseeinghim
hobblingatworkafter his police beating,sug-
gestedhetakeacoupleofdaysoffbypretendingto
beoutatclientmeetings.Still,hewantstogoback
to university to studytobecome asocial worker.
“ButIhateloud,arrogantpeoplesomaybeIwon’t
beverygoodatdealingwithallthedifferenttypes
of people youcome across in that job,” he says.
“Iwilljusthavetolearntosmileandstaysilent.”
Hehasnoplanstogiveupfightingfortherevo-
lutionofhistime.“Ifthistimewefail,before
we must have anotherfight,areal fight.But it’s
agoodsign that this time morepeople arewill-
ingtostand up.The seed has beenplanted.”He
looksaroundtomakesurenooneelseislistening:
“We’reheadingtowardscivilwar.”Sue-LinWong is the FT’s South China correspondent.
Additionalreporting by NicolleLiu andQianerLiu.
NickWu,MokeCheungandSamanthaZhangare
pseudonyms.Commentto [email protected]Above:protestersrestonaroad
in the Admiraltydistrict in June‘I REALLY
UNDERSTANDTHE
PROTESTERS.IFI
HADBEENBORN
ANDRAISEDHERE,
I’DALSOBEON
THESTREETS’
SamanthaZhang,whomovedto
HongKongfrommainlandChina