What issue created the protests in Hong Kong?
Superficially, the issue seems arising from fighting for universal suffrage. Western politicians, media, and HK democrats all accuse China of not keeping promises under the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law. This is not true and intentionally misleading.
The method for selecting the Chief Executive shall be specified in the light of the actual situation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and in accordance with the principle of gradual and orderly progress. The ultimate aim is the selection of the Chief Executive by universal suffrage upon nomination by a broadly representative nominating committee in accordance with democratic procedures
Note the key points:
“in accordance with the principle of gradual and orderly progress”
Then came the 2014 NPCSC (National People's Congress Standing Committee) Decision on Hong Kong known as '8 31 decision'. It states steps for election of the HK Chief Executive. A nominating committee would be formed to nominate candidates who have to "love the country [China] and love HK". The nominated candidates would then be voted by universal suffrage. The new Chief Executive "will have to be appointed by China.
The 831 decision was voted out by the Legislative Council. Let’s compare it with the present system where both have a nominating committee.
Present system:
Candidates are elected by 1,000 committee members (that’s why Carrie Lam is called 777 and CY Leung 689, indicating the votes they received)
831 proposal:
Candidates going through the nominating committee are elected by 7 million HK people. So it’s actually a steep forward.
Pro-democracy activists deemed the 831 decision as a violation of the principle of free and fair election. (If you agree with the above comparison, it is not so)
They led large-scale occupation protests, the Umbrella Revolution, the Occupy Central with Love and Peace movement (24 September 2014) a massive civil obedience occupation at the city’s financial center aiming to paralyze financial activities of HK.
Despite the 831 proposal was voted out by the Legislative Council, democrats insisted on a withdrawal. Joshua Wong demanded a public apology from the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the usual play on the word like the ant-extradition protests and humiliation tactics.
Although at first the issue seems arising from universal suffrage, it gradually surfaces as a color revolution with many similarities. Protesters oppose every move of the Govt with obvious purpose of upsetting its stabilization. Right now they are vandalizing quarantine centers, and virus clinics.
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