China vs. Hong Kong

If you have friends from Hong Kong or mainland China, you should have realized that there is some cultural tension between the two regions. Although people from both regions are Chinese, there seems to be a degree of racism between the two populations. Some of my friends from Hong Kong would smirk at someone squatting on a sidewalk and say, “He must be a mainlander.” Through my personal observations, I noticed that they degrade each other and take pride in the fact that they are not the other.

Hong Kong was a former British colony that was returned to China only 15 years ago. It’s evident that the Western culture still thrives in Hong Kong – more than in mainland China – like how it allows freedom of speech and practices rule of law. Half the members of the Hong Kong legislature are elected, while the leader is chosen by a pro-Beijing committee. Because of these cultural and political differences, Hong Kongers undoubtedly feel that they have a separate identity apart from the Chinese.

The latest dispute arose when a mainland tourist ate and spilled noodles on a Hong Kong subway, which bans food on the trains. It’s easy to think that the Hong Kong residents again saw this as a typical act by someone from a less Westernized society. This was most likely a resurge in the Hong Kong’s attitude towards a separate identity.

It should be accepted that Hong Kongers want to maintain their own identity. What good will it do to force Hong Kong to assimilate to the rest of China? It will only create more hatred and conflict, and urge Hong Kong to try to break away even harder. Beijing does have economic control over the global financial city of Hong Kong, and I’m sure it never wants to lose that.

China needs to realize that a cultural and political identity cannot suddenly be overturned, and that if it wants to keep Hong Kong a satisfied region within its borders, it should accept the differences that naturally exist.