The massive protests in Hong Kong in recent weeks have showed the depth of its citizens’ determination to uphold their democratic way of life – something they were supposedly guaranteed when Britain returned sovereignty over the city to China in 1997. Moreover, the protests hold three powerful lessons: for Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, for the demonstrators themselves, and for China’s rulers.
Over the past few years, the Chinese authorities have steadily increased their interference in Hong Kong’s affairs, gradually eroding the “one country, two systems” principle that was meant to ensure a “high degree of autonomy” for the city after 1997. The current crisis stems from China’s desire for a legal framework to return fugitives from the mainland who have allegedly used the city as a safe haven for ill-gotten wealth.
