For more than a decade, Hong Kong's government has tried to project an image of Hong Kong as ‘Asia’s World City’, a city with “an open society, where economic and social freedoms are cherished”. In statements, it consistently repeats the same talking points, stating that the “‘one country, two systems’ principle has been fully and successfully implemented, which has been widely recognised by the international community”.
However, such statements are gradually being treated with derision. On November 14, the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission issued a report expressing concerns with threats to rule of law, freedom of expression and self-censorship, arguing that China’s increasing encroachment is moving Hong Kong “closer to becoming more like any other Chinese city”.
