The Umbrella Movement

As a reminder, my internship with the U.S. State Department ended two months ago.  The following is my own personal assessment, I am in no way associated with the U.S. government, and do not speak on their behalf.

If you had told me that during my first few months abroad, Hong Kong would erupt in protest, I would have laughed at you. And yet, here we are, thirty days after the initial outcries, with both sides showing no sign of giving up.  There are many fantastic reports providing blow-by-blow analysis and historical context (I recommend this, this, and this), so I won’t write about that.

Instead, I want to focus on what my anthropology professor calls the “Civic Awakening of Hong Kong’s Youth.” For HKUST students, simply being a student is difficult. Courses are designed in a hybrid East-meets-West education system; lots of lectures and memorization, but then complex application of knowledge on exams and in projects. Compounding this, most, if not all, classes are graded on a curve, adding a competitive edge to achievement. The most popular hangout on weekends and holidays is the library. These are perhaps some of the least politically minded people I have ever met; a HKUST newspaper politely called the student population “politically apathetic”, most others at Hong Kong University or City University simply say that UST students care more about their grades than anything else.

And yet, slowly, over the course of several days, my classrooms began emptying, hallways were littered with posters, and it seemed like every other person was wearing a yellow ribbon. And, to their credit, each of my professors took this in stride. Everyone issued warnings about safety, especially after tear gas was used, relaxed attendance policies, and began recording lectures. Everyone in class were constantly checking their phones, eagerly looking at the latest news on Whatsapp or Twitter. Protesters armed with phone holders to #protestselfies with abandon. My Facebook feed is now a three-way tie between pictures of parties, babies, and protests. What began as some dissatisfied students sitting in a park doing homework has risen to the level of international news, at a time when Ebola was (is) raging over West Africa. This is no mean feat.

Most of my classmates are not members of the Hong Kong super-elite. They struggle to pay rent, survive on instant noodles and disgusting cafeteria food, and are working hard to prepare for what is likely to be a tough future. They were born in Hong Kong. They grew up in post-handover Hong Kong. They will battle corruption, crony-capitalism, and fierce competition from peers all over the world. They are, first and foremost, Hong Kong-ers. They are good kids, struggling in a time of transition, both for Hong Kong and Mainland China. For the past month, they have shown their strength.

My personal opinion doesn’t really matter here. As many times as I’ve gone out to interview students and citizens at protest sites, as many news articles and twitter feeds I follow, I’m still not getting the complete picture. And that’s okay. It’s not my fight.  Whether or not the Beijing government will allow Hong Kong residents to freely elect their representatives is, ultimately, one small piece of a much larger trend. Ripple effects are being felt in Mainland-Taiwan relations. Mainland visitors in Hong Kong have a variety of views, which they will bring back to their hometowns. China faces many challenges in the coming years, which will undoubtedly have global consequences. Watch this space, because these young students have potentially kicked-off a global phenomenon.

加油科大！