August 16, 2019
Hong Kong’s Protests of 2019
Overview
On June 12, tens of thousands of people surrounded the
Every week since June 9, 2019, tens of thousands of Hong
Legco building and shut down several major roads in the
Kong residents, or “Hong Kongers,” have held marches and
neighboring Admiralty District in opposition to the
rallies to protest the perceived erosion of their city’s “high
extradition bill. Legco cancelled its session for the day.
degree of autonomy” promised by the 1984 Sino-British
After a standoff lasting several hours, an estimated 5,000
Joint Declaration and Beijing’s efforts to “Mainlandize”
Hong Kong police officers in riot gear used tear gas, rubber
Hong Kong’s culture, economy, and society. The Hong
bullets, pepper spray, and truncheons to open the streets and
Kong government, led by Chief Executive Carrie Lam
disperse the demonstrators. Chief Executive Lam and
Cheng Yuet-ngor, and China’s central government have
Police Commissioner Steven Lo Wai-chung characterized
characterized the largely peaceful protests as “riots” and
the day’s demonstration a “riot” and indicated that the
“terrorism.” The Hong Kong Police Force has employed
police had “no choice but to start to use force.” Two days
increasingly aggressive tactics to stop the protests, resulting
later, Chief Executive Lam announced an indefinite delay
in allegations that its officers are violating international
in Legco’s consideration of the extradition bill.
standards for responding to civil demonstrations.
On the following Sunday (June 16), an estimated 2 million
The continuing demonstrations may raise questions for the
Hong Kong residents again peacefully marched from
116th Congress about the future of U.S. policy toward Hong
Victoria Park to the HKSAR government headquarters in
Kong, a former British colony which was returned to China
Admiralty; the Hong Kong Police Force stated that only
in 1997. The United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992
334,000 people participated. The protesters called for the
(Hong Kong Policy Act; P.L. 102-383; 22 USC Ch. 66, as
withdrawal of the extradition bill, a renouncement of the
amended) calls on China to abide by the promises it made
“riot” characterization, the dropping of all charges against
to the United Kingdom and the world in the 1984 Joint
the arrested demonstrators, and an independent
Declaration. It also states that the United States will afford
investigation into alleged excessive use of force by the
the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or HKSAR,
Hong Kong police. After the protest march, Chief
separate treatment from China on commercial, cultural,
Executive Lam released a written apology, saying that she
educational, economic, trade, and transportation matters
would pay more attention to the views of the Hong Kong
unless the President determines that Hong Kong is “not
people. She subsequently announced the “suspension,” but
sufficiently autonomous to justify” such treatment.
not the complete withdrawal, of the extradition bill.
Congress and the Trump Administration are considering
Since June 16, one or more large-scale demonstrations have
what measures, if any, to take to help preserve Hong
been held every weekend, and on some weekdays as well.
Kong’s autonomy and protect its “current social and
In many cases, after the formal demonstrations were over,
economic systems” as promised in the Joint Declaration.
some of the protesters marched to new locations or blocked
Among the options under consideration is the Hong Kong
off streets, leading to the deployment of police officers in
Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 (H.R. 3289, S.
riot gear. The arrival of the police frequently has led to
1838—see below). In addition, Congress may also
confrontations, and eventually the use of tear gas, rubber
contemplate altering U.S. policy on separate treatment if
bullets, and pepper spray to break up the protests. The
and when Hong Kong no longer is “sufficiently
protesters have responded by donning makeshift riot gear
autonomous” from China.
and throwing bottles, bricks, and umbrellas at the police,
leading to accusations of violence by both sides.
Protests Overview
On June 9, 2019, according to its organizers, an estimated
Issues Motivating the Protests
one million Hong Kongers participated in a peaceful march
While the proposed extradition bill precipitated the
from Victoria Park to the headquarters of the HKSAR
continuing demonstrations, other long-standing issues are
government in opposition to proposed legislation that
motivating the protesters. These include the perceived
would have, among other things, allowed extradition from
erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy, the “Mainlandization”
Hong Kong to Mainland China (see CRS In Focus IF11248,
of the city, and worsening economic opportunities. Nor is
Hong Kong’s Proposed Extradition Law Amendments). The
this the first time Hong Kong residents have risen in large
Hong Kong Police Force estimated 240,000 people attended
numbers to protest actions by China’s central government
the event. The following day, Chief Executive Lam said
and the HKSAR government seen as eroding the city’s
that her government planned to request Hong Kong’s
autonomy. On July 1, 2003, an estimated 500,000 people
Legislative Council (Legco) to take up consideration of the
rallied against a proposed anti-sedition law introduced by
bill on June 12, despite the protest.
then Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa; the bill was
subsequently withdrawn. In 2014, the so-called “Umbrella
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Hong Kong’s Protests of 2019
Movement” closed down major roads following a decision
these Mainland immigrants do not speak Cantonese, leading
by China’s National People’s Congress Standing
to allegations that this is an attempt to undermine Hong
Committee (NPCSC) placing unacceptable conditions on
Kong’s “current cultural system.”
the nomination process in order for the Chief Executive to
be elected by universal suffrage.
Hong Kong’s economy is also seen as undergoing a gradual
“Mainlandization.” Most companies included in Hong
Erosion of Hong Kong’s Autonomy
Kong’s Hang Seng Index are now Mainland companies.
Hong Kong reverted to Chinese control on July 1, 1997,
Many of the stores in Hong Kong, particularly near the
under the terms of the “Joint Declaration,” an international
border with the Mainland, cater to Mainland tourists and
treaty which set the terms for Hong Kong’s high degree of
traders who buy goods in Hong Kong for resale across the
autonomy in internal affairs. Many Hong Kongers maintain
border. Many Hong Kongers see the rising numbers of
that China’s central government and the HKSAR
Mainland immigrants as placing stress on social services,
government have undermined that autonomy. Even before
such as medical care, schools, and housing. Hong Kong
the HKSAR was formed, China’s central government
students compete with Mainlanders for places in schools
created a “provisional Legislative Council” to replace the
and jobs after graduation. Since July 1, 1997, Hong Kong
last Legco elected during British rule, claiming that changes
housing prices have nearly doubled, but salaries for recent
made by the British in the 1996 Legco election procedures
university graduates have remained nearly stagnant, making
violated the provisions of the Joint Declaration.
buying an apartment almost impossible for young people.
Under the Basic Law, which set up Hong Kong’s governing
Implications for U.S. Relations with China
bodies and processes, the city is supposed to have an
China has implied that the U.S. government is provoking
autonomous judicial system. In January 1999, Hong Kong’s
Hong Kong’s youth to participate in the protests, a claim
Court of Final Appeal issued a decision regarding the status
Secretary of State Pompeo called “ludicrous.” Some experts
of Mainland children born to Hong Kong permanent
maintain that President Trump and his senior advisors have
residents, ruling that Article 24 of the Basic Law granted
refrained from criticizing China’s treatment of Hong Kong
these children the “right of abode” in Hong Kong. In June
to avoid possible negative implications for the ongoing
1999, the NPCSC issued its own “interpretation” of Article
Sino-U.S. trade dispute.
24, overruling the Court of Final Appeal.
Implications for Taiwan
In 2014, then Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying began
The Hong Kong protests are apparently having an effect on
exploring legislation to permit the election of the Chief
Taiwan’s 2020 presidential elections. The “one country,
Executive by universal suffrage, the “ultimate goal”
two systems” model being used in Hong Kong (and Macau)
according to the Basic Law. On August 31, 2014, the
was originally proposed by Deng Xiaoping for the potential
NPCSC issued a decision stating that election by universal
reunification of China with Taiwan. Popular support for
suffrage would be allowed if only two or three candidates
Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s President and leader of the
were nominated, and those candidates were approved by a
Democratic Progressive Party, has risen, in part due to her
“nominating committee” effectively controlled by Beijing.
strong support for the Hong Kong protesters.
In response, tens of thousands of Hong Kongers shut down
major roads in three central business districts for nearly
Pending Legislation
three months. Leung never introduced the election reforms.
The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of
2019 (H.R. 3289/S. 1838) would amend the Hong Kong
On November 7, 2016, the NPCSC issued a new
Policy Act to require the Secretary of State to annually
interpretation of the Basic Law’s provision for oath-taking,
certify to Congress that Hong Kong is “sufficiently
indicating that elected Legco members were to be
autonomous to justify special treatment by the United States
disqualified if they were not “sincere and solemn” or if they
for bilateral agreements and programs.” It would also
diverged from a proscribed script. In part relying on the
prohibit the denial of a visa to enter the United States to a
NPCSC interpretation, then-Chief Executive Leung filed
Hong Kong resident who was arrested or detained for
suit in Hong Kong courts and successfully had six pro-
participation in non-violent protest activities. The act would
democracy Legco members disqualified.
prohibit the issuance of a visa to enter the United States and
freeze the assets of “any alien” identified by the President
“Mainlandization”
as being responsible for the “surveillance, abduction,
Many Hong Kong protesters also decry what they view as
detention, abuse or forced confession” of certain people
the attempted “Mainlandization” of Hong Kong. The
identified with Hong Kong’s protests over the last decade.
HKSAR government has introduced education reforms,
such as compulsory Mandarin language classes (Hong
In addition, Representative Jim McGovern has announced
Kongers primarily speak Cantonese) and a “patriotic”
that he plans to introduce legislation to “suspend U.S. sales
curriculum in Hong Kong’s primary and secondary schools.
of munitions, police and crowd control equipment to the
China’s central government is requiring the HKSAR
Hong Kong police.” Various sources have confirmed that
government to pass laws prohibiting “disrespecting”
much of the tear gas being used by the Hong Kong Police
China’s national anthem and flag. China’s central
Force is supplied by U.S. companies.
government and the HKSAR government have agreed to
allow up to 150 “Mainlanders” per day to receive “one-
Michael F. Martin, Specialist in Asian Affairs
way” visas to permanently settle in Hong Kong. Many of
IF11295
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Hong Kong’s Protests of 2019
Disclaimer
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11295 · VERSION 1 · NEW