TAIPEI, Taiwan – “Should I stay or should I go?” That’s the question facing many of Hong Kong’s young people 25 years after the city was returned to Chinese rule.
During the 1997 handover, Beijing promised the former British colony 50 years of self-rule, as well as civil and political rights that do not exist on the Communist Party-ruled mainland. But Beijing’s intensifying crackdown on the city’s freedoms — including a national security law passed in 2020 that silenced virtually all dissent — has irreversibly changed the lives of people in Hong Kong.
“The things that we thought would always be here just gradually faded away, like the system itself, like freedom of speech, freedom of the press, all of that, and we lost faith in our government,” said Iris, a 25-year-old Hong Konger who is born in the year of transmission.
“In general, our generation is pretty hopeless about the future,” she said, asking that only her first name be used. The office worker said many Hong Kongers see her generation as “cursed”.
Hongkongers born around the time of the handover grew up in an atmosphere of resistance to Beijing’s encroachment on their way of life. They were children during mass demonstrations against a proposed national security law in 2003 and teenagers during the 2014 Occupy Center protests sparked by Beijing’s refusal to allow direct elections for the city’s leader.
These demonstrations were followed in 2019 by mass protests against plans to allow extraditions to the continent. The protests, which began peacefully before turning violent, have expanded into calls for greater autonomy and even independence from Beijing.
Beijing responded the following year by imposing draconian national security legislation banning vaguely defined acts of subversion, secession, terrorism or collusion with foreign powers. Since then, most of the city’s political opposition has been jailed or forced into exile, dozens of civil society organizations have disbanded, and critical and independent media outlets have been forced to close. In a complete overhaul of the electoral system, only candidates deemed “patriots” can compete for seats in the city’s legislative chamber.
The Occupy Center protests in Hong Kong in 2014 were sparked by Beijing’s refusal to allow direct elections for the city’s leader [File: Daniel J. Groshong/Bloomberg]
Amid declining freedoms, nearly 60 percent of young people have expressed a desire to emigrate in 2021, according to a survey by the Chinese University of Hong Kong. As a group, young Hong Kong residents are more politically active than older residents, with surveys conducted in 2019 showing that around 87 percent of 18-29 year olds supported the pro-democracy protests and 63 percent said , that they participated in person.
Hong Kong residents under 25 have fewer opportunities to escape the city’s new political reality than older residents. While those born before the July 1, 1997 handover are entitled to a British National Overseas Passport, which since last year provides a pathway to UK residency, younger residents must look to work, study or family channels to emigrate.
“As someone who was born in 1997, sometimes you feel like your future is already decided by people born before 1997, and you’re not part of the conversation about what your future looks like,” said Anna, who asked to be identified by her first name only.
The 25-year-old political activist has been living in exile outside Hong Kong since becoming involved in running Telegram channels that were used to organize protests in 2019. Such activities have led to lengthy prison sentences for other protesters.
Anna said the decision was a difficult one for her and her family – one that not all young Hong Kong residents are able or willing to make.
Gary Pui-fung Wong, a lecturer at the University of Leeds whose research includes Hong Kong’s cultural history, said the combined pressure of being a Hong Konger and a young person was a powerful combination.
Many people in their 20s go through a transition phase when they start thinking more seriously about their future career and family prospects, Wong said. Even before 2019, he said, this was difficult in Hong Kong, where renting – let alone buying – an apartment was out of reach for most young people.
“Right now, they have to consider the future of the city on their own,” Wong told Al Jazeera.
“If the integration of Hong Kong into mainland China continues, then this city may be facing some fundamental change, so they should think about migration, and especially if the UK and Canada open up opportunities for some [university] graduates to move.’
Tens of thousands of people have left Hong Kong due to the imposition of a draconian national security law and some of the world’s longest-lasting COVID restrictions [File:Justin Chin/Bloomberg]
For young Hong Kong residents who have chosen to stay in the city, some have found purpose through the city’s local movement. The movement, which has emerged over the past 15 years, seeks to preserve the difference between Hong Kong and mainland China, whether it’s the Cantonese language, the colonial-era architecture or the cha chaan teng cafes that serve hybrid Western-Cantonese cuisine.
Jen, a 25-year-old Hong Kong resident who runs a cultural space and conducts research on Hong Kong culture, said exploring the city’s culture can allow for some free expression even as overt political activism is limited.
“I think a lot of people are talking about migrating somewhere else, but I think after 2019, a lot of people have also become interested in – or feel the importance of – exploring and understanding Hong Kong culture,” she told Al Jazeera .
“I feel there is something that can be done [here], providing space for various cultural events. We cannot have mass protests or celebrate June 4th [the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square killings in Beijing], but that doesn’t mean everything has stopped. I want to get on with the little things.”
Olivia, a media worker who was born around the time of the broadcast, said that while she was mentally preparing for more draconian changes, such as the closure of her media channel, she found solace in her community.
“Even though we can’t express our voice [heard]we can still connect with people who are around us,” Olivia told Al Jazeera, asking to be referred to only by her first name.
Recalling a recent visit to a friend who was serving a prison sentence for his political activism, she said she realized the importance of staying in Hong Kong to support her friends in difficult circumstances.
“Even though we can’t touch [when I visited], we could only see each other and talk, we connected. I can see him smiling,” she said. “I can hear his voice and that’s really important. This is one of the reasons why I still stay in Hong Kong.
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