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| China Finds Its Global Ambitions Humbled in Its Own Backyard | China Finds Its Global Ambitions Humbled in Its Own Backyard |
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| HONG KONG — The heart of this global financial hub resembled an armed camp on Wednesday as thousands of police officers deployed around a hotel and convention center where a senior Chinese official was visiting: a show of force against an unarmed citizenry, many of whom are increasingly worried that the city’s civil liberties and autonomy are under assault by the central government in Beijing. | HONG KONG — The heart of this global financial hub resembled an armed camp on Wednesday as thousands of police officers deployed around a hotel and convention center where a senior Chinese official was visiting: a show of force against an unarmed citizenry, many of whom are increasingly worried that the city’s civil liberties and autonomy are under assault by the central government in Beijing. |
| Across the Taiwan Strait, final preparations were underway for the inauguration on Friday of Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s first female president. She was swept into power in part by young voters anxious about what they see as Beijing’s rising influence over the island. Ms. Tsai is expected to have a far more cautious attitude toward promoting Chinese trade and investment than her predecessor. | Across the Taiwan Strait, final preparations were underway for the inauguration on Friday of Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s first female president. She was swept into power in part by young voters anxious about what they see as Beijing’s rising influence over the island. Ms. Tsai is expected to have a far more cautious attitude toward promoting Chinese trade and investment than her predecessor. |
| It is a humbling week for China. The world’s biggest economy after the United States, it is richer and stronger than it has ever been, and its financial clout is being felt the world over. But Beijing is finding it exceedingly difficult to win hearts and minds in its own backyard, among the more than 30 million Chinese-speaking people of Taiwan and Hong Kong. | It is a humbling week for China. The world’s biggest economy after the United States, it is richer and stronger than it has ever been, and its financial clout is being felt the world over. But Beijing is finding it exceedingly difficult to win hearts and minds in its own backyard, among the more than 30 million Chinese-speaking people of Taiwan and Hong Kong. |
| In Hong Kong, which has been ruled by China since 1997 but retains considerable autonomy, many people have turned against Beijing, put off by its refusal to allow a free election of the city’s leader. That decision led to protests in 2014 that sent hundreds of thousands of demonstrators into the streets. In Taiwan, which was never conquered by the Communists after their 1949 victory on the mainland, the idea that the island would ever unify with the mainland — a dream of Beijing — is more remote than ever, with a party that promotes Taiwan’s separate identity poised to take the reins of government. | In Hong Kong, which has been ruled by China since 1997 but retains considerable autonomy, many people have turned against Beijing, put off by its refusal to allow a free election of the city’s leader. That decision led to protests in 2014 that sent hundreds of thousands of demonstrators into the streets. In Taiwan, which was never conquered by the Communists after their 1949 victory on the mainland, the idea that the island would ever unify with the mainland — a dream of Beijing — is more remote than ever, with a party that promotes Taiwan’s separate identity poised to take the reins of government. |
| “There are more centrifugal forces, and it’s hard for Beijing to deal with these forces,” said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a professor of government and international studies at Hong Kong Baptist University. “I think it is a clash between two political cultures: authoritarian in China and liberal in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Hong Kong is very much on the bridge, resisting the authoritarian political culture in China.” | “There are more centrifugal forces, and it’s hard for Beijing to deal with these forces,” said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a professor of government and international studies at Hong Kong Baptist University. “I think it is a clash between two political cultures: authoritarian in China and liberal in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Hong Kong is very much on the bridge, resisting the authoritarian political culture in China.” |
| In important ways, the visiting Chinese official in Hong Kong, Zhang Dejiang, is representative of that culture. As chairman of China’s legislature, the National People’s Congress, he presided over the August 2014 decision to set strict rules on vetting candidates for Hong Kong’s top official post, the chief executive, leading to the huge student-led sit-in that year that captured the world’s attention. He is the highest-ranking member of the Chinese government to visit the city since then. | In important ways, the visiting Chinese official in Hong Kong, Zhang Dejiang, is representative of that culture. As chairman of China’s legislature, the National People’s Congress, he presided over the August 2014 decision to set strict rules on vetting candidates for Hong Kong’s top official post, the chief executive, leading to the huge student-led sit-in that year that captured the world’s attention. He is the highest-ranking member of the Chinese government to visit the city since then. |
| But Mr. Zhang, 69, who studied economics at Kim Il-sung University in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, is also remembered in Hong Kong as the Communist Party chief of neighboring Guangdong Province in 2003, when the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, swept over China. He was criticized for the slow response to the outbreak in Guangdong and for official efforts to keep the news of the deadly virus out of the media. The disease spread to Hong Kong, killing 299 people in the city. | But Mr. Zhang, 69, who studied economics at Kim Il-sung University in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, is also remembered in Hong Kong as the Communist Party chief of neighboring Guangdong Province in 2003, when the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, swept over China. He was criticized for the slow response to the outbreak in Guangdong and for official efforts to keep the news of the deadly virus out of the media. The disease spread to Hong Kong, killing 299 people in the city. |
| Such attitudes — a fear of democracy and heavy-handed control of the news media — are at odds with the increasingly well-educated populations in Hong Kong, a former British colony where civil liberties such as freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are guaranteed, and Taiwan, a democracy for the past two decades. | Such attitudes — a fear of democracy and heavy-handed control of the news media — are at odds with the increasingly well-educated populations in Hong Kong, a former British colony where civil liberties such as freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are guaranteed, and Taiwan, a democracy for the past two decades. |
| Those concerns came to the fore late last year, when five Hong Kong booksellers disappeared, showing up later in Chinese custody in Guangdong. One publisher, Lee Bo, was plucked from the streets of Hong Kong, a violation of the “one country, two systems” principle that safeguards the city’s autonomy until 2047, the 50th anniversary of its return to Chinese sovereignty. | Those concerns came to the fore late last year, when five Hong Kong booksellers disappeared, showing up later in Chinese custody in Guangdong. One publisher, Lee Bo, was plucked from the streets of Hong Kong, a violation of the “one country, two systems” principle that safeguards the city’s autonomy until 2047, the 50th anniversary of its return to Chinese sovereignty. |
| “That act is like driving a truck through ‘one country, two systems,’ ” Emily Lau, head of the Democratic Party in Hong Kong’s legislature, said in a telephone interview. “Hong Kong is going through very dark times.” | “That act is like driving a truck through ‘one country, two systems,’ ” Emily Lau, head of the Democratic Party in Hong Kong’s legislature, said in a telephone interview. “Hong Kong is going through very dark times.” |
| Ms. Lau and several other pro-democracy lawmakers were scheduled to meet with Mr. Zhang on Wednesday evening, when they planned to bring up the case of the booksellers as well as push for the removal of Hong Kong’s chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, whom they see as a divisive figure. On Wednesday morning, Mr. Zhang spoke at a conference in Hong Kong promoting China’s plan to forge better infrastructure links with Asia and Europe, called One Belt, One Road. | Ms. Lau and several other pro-democracy lawmakers were scheduled to meet with Mr. Zhang on Wednesday evening, when they planned to bring up the case of the booksellers as well as push for the removal of Hong Kong’s chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, whom they see as a divisive figure. On Wednesday morning, Mr. Zhang spoke at a conference in Hong Kong promoting China’s plan to forge better infrastructure links with Asia and Europe, called One Belt, One Road. |
| Ms. Lau and her colleagues also planned to urge Mr. Zhang to revisit the issue of a democratic election of Hong Kong’s chief executive, arguing that opening up the position to a genuine contest, rather than allowing only a narrow slate of Beijing-approved candidates, would help to dampen growing enthusiasm in Hong Kong for self-determination, and even independence, Ms. Lau said. | |
| Fear that some of these newly radicalized groups in Hong Kong might try to disrupt Mr. Zhang’s visit — the first by a member of the elite Politburo Standing Committee since 2012 — led to extraordinary security measures. At least 6,000 police officers were enlisted to provide security around the city’s convention center. Streets were sealed off with huge, water-filled plastic barriers, and city employees even glued down some paving bricks on sidewalks, after rioters in February threw paving bricks at police officers. | Fear that some of these newly radicalized groups in Hong Kong might try to disrupt Mr. Zhang’s visit — the first by a member of the elite Politburo Standing Committee since 2012 — led to extraordinary security measures. At least 6,000 police officers were enlisted to provide security around the city’s convention center. Streets were sealed off with huge, water-filled plastic barriers, and city employees even glued down some paving bricks on sidewalks, after rioters in February threw paving bricks at police officers. |
| Some locals drew scathing comparisons between the cloistered three-day stay by Mr. Zhang this week and royal visits by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975 and 1986, when Hong Kong was still a British colony. While security was tight for those occasions as well, they were also cause for celebration, with many Hong Kongers lining the streets to welcome her. | Some locals drew scathing comparisons between the cloistered three-day stay by Mr. Zhang this week and royal visits by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975 and 1986, when Hong Kong was still a British colony. While security was tight for those occasions as well, they were also cause for celebration, with many Hong Kongers lining the streets to welcome her. |
| “He must feel fearful and guilty, so he needs such high security and fears any contact with the people,” said Raphael Wong, vice chairman of the pro-democracy League of Social Democrats, whose members had assembled in one of the designated protest zones blocks away from where Mr. Zhang was staying. “He simply couldn’t tolerate any dissent against the Communist Party.” | “He must feel fearful and guilty, so he needs such high security and fears any contact with the people,” said Raphael Wong, vice chairman of the pro-democracy League of Social Democrats, whose members had assembled in one of the designated protest zones blocks away from where Mr. Zhang was staying. “He simply couldn’t tolerate any dissent against the Communist Party.” |
| The party also would not tolerate Taiwan’s declaring independence, and has repeatedly vowed to take the island by force should that happen. A Pentagon report released last week stated that China is steadily building up its forces across the Taiwan Strait, and on Wednesday, two days before Ms. Tsai was set to take office, the Chinese Ministry of Defense announced it had been conducting military exercises across from Taiwan involving air, sea and land forces, though it added that the exercises were “not directed at any specific target.” | The party also would not tolerate Taiwan’s declaring independence, and has repeatedly vowed to take the island by force should that happen. A Pentagon report released last week stated that China is steadily building up its forces across the Taiwan Strait, and on Wednesday, two days before Ms. Tsai was set to take office, the Chinese Ministry of Defense announced it had been conducting military exercises across from Taiwan involving air, sea and land forces, though it added that the exercises were “not directed at any specific target.” |
| Although Ms. Tsai has promised to maintain the status quo with China, many people in her Democratic Progressive Party, which captured the presidency in January elections and, for the first time, control of the legislature, support independence. | Although Ms. Tsai has promised to maintain the status quo with China, many people in her Democratic Progressive Party, which captured the presidency in January elections and, for the first time, control of the legislature, support independence. |
| Under the current president, Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang, or Nationalist Party, cross-strait economic ties have flourished, and last year Mr. Ma and President Xi Jinping of China held talks in Singapore, in the first meeting between the leaders of the two rival Chinese parties since Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek met in 1945. | Under the current president, Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang, or Nationalist Party, cross-strait economic ties have flourished, and last year Mr. Ma and President Xi Jinping of China held talks in Singapore, in the first meeting between the leaders of the two rival Chinese parties since Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek met in 1945. |
| But China’s intentions worried many in Taiwan, who saw the closer relations as tools to advance Beijing’s goal of political control. | But China’s intentions worried many in Taiwan, who saw the closer relations as tools to advance Beijing’s goal of political control. |
| In early 2014, demonstrators, overwhelmingly young people, occupied Taiwan’s legislature for 23 days to block the passage of a cross-strait trade agreement. Several of them then traveled to Hong Kong, speaking out in support of Taiwan independence and a democratic Hong Kong on the night of July 1, 2014, at a demonstration in the heart of the city that served as a preview of the protests that autumn. | In early 2014, demonstrators, overwhelmingly young people, occupied Taiwan’s legislature for 23 days to block the passage of a cross-strait trade agreement. Several of them then traveled to Hong Kong, speaking out in support of Taiwan independence and a democratic Hong Kong on the night of July 1, 2014, at a demonstration in the heart of the city that served as a preview of the protests that autumn. |
| Ultimately, in both Hong Kong and Taiwan, the generations now moving into positions of responsibility increasingly view themselves as separate from China, and that rise of identity politics “could pose grave political challenges to Beijing,” said Zhang Baohui, a professor of political science at Lingnan University in Hong Kong. | Ultimately, in both Hong Kong and Taiwan, the generations now moving into positions of responsibility increasingly view themselves as separate from China, and that rise of identity politics “could pose grave political challenges to Beijing,” said Zhang Baohui, a professor of political science at Lingnan University in Hong Kong. |
| “I feel like Hong Kong is like Taiwan more than 20 years ago, before we had free elections,” said Sung Chung-hsing, 43, a lawyer in the island’s capital, Taipei. “The young people in Hong Kong have realized the importance of freedom and elections. I hope they can raise their voices and let the mainland government know their feelings.” | “I feel like Hong Kong is like Taiwan more than 20 years ago, before we had free elections,” said Sung Chung-hsing, 43, a lawyer in the island’s capital, Taipei. “The young people in Hong Kong have realized the importance of freedom and elections. I hope they can raise their voices and let the mainland government know their feelings.” |