Hong Kong — Twenty-seven years post its handover from Britain to China, Hong Kong faces significant transformations impacting its status as an autonomous entity and its role as a global hub. The vibrant city, once recognized as “Asia’s World World City,” is now under the tightening grip of the Chinese Communist Party which few anticipated would take such a strong hold.
The cosmopolitan allure of Hong Kong has significantly diminished as a mass exodus of expatriates, particularly from Western nations, unfolds. International schools and universities have seen the departure of foreign staff, and numerous foreign businesses, including law firms, have shut their local operations. Even foreign journalists are relocating, many to Singapore, dampening the international mix that once defined the city.
Several factors accelerated this outflow. Strict COVID-19 quarantine measures limited travel and disrupted daily life. Following these, the national security laws imposed by Beijing further stifled freedoms, resulting in the shutdown of independent media outlets and numerous civil society groups. These laws were seen by many as tactics to quash peaceful political dissent and to curtail foreign influence, justified by claims of safeguarding national security.
In response to the wave of departures and to counteract the narrative of a declining attractivity, the government has initiated multiple schemes aimed at bringing in “global talent,” albeit with over 90 percent of new arrivals coming from mainland China. This shift also sees Mandarin progressively supplanting English as the dominant second language after Cantonese, further altering the demographic and linguistic landscape of the city.
The tensions rose particularly when Jonathan Sumption, a former British judge on Hong Kong’s top court, openly criticized what he saw as the erosion of judicial independence upon his return to Britain. Sumption’s explicit dismay about the “totalitarian” path he perceived Hong Kong to be on resonates with broader concerns about the rule of law and freedom in the city.
Hong Kong’s judicial system, designed post-handover to include foreign judges to maintain international confidence, finds itself in a contentious position. Human rights groups and political exiles argue that the presence of these foreign judges serves to legitimize what they see as an increasingly repressive system. This criticism has grown louder as more foreign judges resign or choose not to extend their terms.
Adding to the complexities are politically charged convictions of democracy activists and politicians, underlining the harshness of the new security laws. The government, however, has rebuffed claims of judicial partiality and external pressures, asserting its courts’ independence and integrity in stark public communications intended to counteract negative portrayals.
Internationally, criticism has not been limited to former jurists. Prominent figures like Stephen Roach, an economist and former executive at Morgan Stanley Asia, have expressed grave doubts about Hong Kong’s economic future. In contrast, the government maintains optimism about the region’s prospects, particularly within the Greater Bay Area, suggesting robust potential for integration and growth despite external skepticism.
As Hongashtra strives to reconcile its narrative of progress with emerging challenges, the city’s unique character and its cherished global status are at a crossroads. Whether it can maintain its distinct identity while integrating more closely with mainland China remains an open and pressing question. The dual pressures of aligning with Beijing’s policies while managing its international image continue to pose a fundamental challenge for Hong Kong’s future.