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What exactly has China done to "assimilate" Hong Kong? How is Hong Kong less diverse now? I've lived through the transition and I certainly haven't seen any s

What exactly has China done to "assimilate" Hong Kong? How is Hong Kong less diverse now? I've lived through the transition and I certainly haven't seen any sign of that.

ubuntu12 7y ago
Agreed.
Nasrudith 7y ago
The extradiction treaty for one. They want Hong Kong under their legal and administrative systems. Meanwhile the people in the street have made it abundantly clear they would rather have anything but that in downright "heretical" terms to the national mythologies.
- UIZealot 7y ago
  I don't like the ill-fated extradition treaty either. But even if it did pass, with its narrow scope and all the strings attached, how exactly would that place Hong Kong under the Chinese legal and administrative system again? The treaty is dead. The people still in the streets have other agendas that have nothing to do with rebelling against "assimilation".
  - johnfactorial 7y ago
    > The people still in the streets have other agendas Here is that agenda, also known as the 5 demands: 1. Kill the extradition bill. Done. 2. Retract use of the word “riot” to classify the protests. 3. Release and drop charges for protesters who have been arrested. 4. An inquiry into the widespread, well documented police brutality. 5. Universal suffrage. In other words, they want their right to peacefully protest & vote for their leaders. To claim they have such rights already would be to ignore their words and their plight entirely. https://www.vox.com/world/2019/8/22/20804294/hong-kong-protests-9-questions https://www.vox.com/world/2019/8/22/20804294/hong-kong-prote... https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/59nbp5/hong-kong-stabbing-attacker-allegedly-asked-victims-about-their-views-on-protests-before-brutal-assault https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/59nbp5/hong-kong-stabbing...
bsznjyewgd 7y ago
You don't think teaching Chinese in Mandarin (5% first language) rather than Cantonese (90% first language) or trying to introduce national education into the curriculum is assimilation? Responding to criticism that it's brainwashing propaganda, here's what the chairman of a pro-Beijing education lobbying group had to say: "A brain needs washing if there is a problem, just as clothes need washing if they're dirty and a kidney needs washing if it's sick," said Jiang Yudui, chairman of the Beijing-friendly China Civic Education Promotion Association of Hong Kong, according to news reports. Jiang's comments in July came at the same time that tens of thousands, including many parents pushing their children in strollers, took to the streets to protest against the plan.
- UIZealot 7y ago
  > You don't think teaching Chinese in Mandarin (5% first language) rather than Cantonese (90% first language) or trying to introduce national education into the curriculum is assimilation? No I do not. That's just what you teach to your citizens. When the US took over Puerto Rico, kids there damn well learned English, the American history, the national anthem, and the star spangled banner in school. Do you call that assimilation? Or is that OK because it's the US that did it?
  - partialrecall 7y ago
    > "When the US took over Puerto Rico, kids there damn well learned English, the American history, the national anthem, and the star spangled banner in school. Do you call that assimilation?" If that's not assimilation, then I have no clue what the term means. > "Or is that OK because it's the US that did it? " If your argument relies on all Americans being hypocritical sycophants of the American government, it's a bad argument. Criticism of America is mainstream in America. One can be American and be critical of the American government, just as one can be Chinese and be critical of the Chinese government. In fact there is ample reason for both to be critical of both.
    - UIZealot 7y ago
      Call it assimilation if you want. My point is that it's what all governments will do under the situation. The fact that China did not push through national education forcibly shows that it's willing to forgo even that minimum amount of "assimilation". It has actually been a model of hands-off administration. EDIT: Actually do not call it assimilation. Learning Mandarin as a shared language does not mean eradicating Cantonese, and most Hongkongers are ethnic Chinese and share much of the same culture, there's nothing to assimilate.
UIZealot 7y ago
I'm still waiting for real answers to my questions. Uninformed opinions are cheap, StarTrek is fun, downvoting is easy. But the truth, that pesky truth, is just so darn inconvenient...

What exactly has China done to "assimilate" Hong Kong? How is Hong Kong less diverse now? I've lived through the transition and I certainly haven't seen any sign of that.

ubuntu12 7y ago

Agreed.

Nasrudith 7y ago

The extradiction treaty for one. They want Hong Kong under their legal and administrative systems. Meanwhile the people in the street have made it abundantly clear they would rather have anything but that in downright "heretical" terms to the national mythologies.

UIZealot 7y ago
I don't like the ill-fated extradition treaty either. But even if it did pass, with its narrow scope and all the strings attached, how exactly would that place Hong Kong under the Chinese legal and administrative system again? The treaty is dead. The people still in the streets have other agendas that have nothing to do with rebelling against "assimilation".
- johnfactorial 7y ago
  > The people still in the streets have other agendas Here is that agenda, also known as the 5 demands: 1. Kill the extradition bill. Done. 2. Retract use of the word “riot” to classify the protests. 3. Release and drop charges for protesters who have been arrested. 4. An inquiry into the widespread, well documented police brutality. 5. Universal suffrage. In other words, they want their right to peacefully protest & vote for their leaders. To claim they have such rights already would be to ignore their words and their plight entirely. https://www.vox.com/world/2019/8/22/20804294/hong-kong-protests-9-questions https://www.vox.com/world/2019/8/22/20804294/hong-kong-prote... https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/59nbp5/hong-kong-stabbing-attacker-allegedly-asked-victims-about-their-views-on-protests-before-brutal-assault https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/59nbp5/hong-kong-stabbing...

bsznjyewgd 7y ago

You don't think teaching Chinese in Mandarin (5% first language) rather than Cantonese (90% first language) or trying to introduce national education into the curriculum is assimilation? Responding to criticism that it's brainwashing propaganda, here's what the chairman of a pro-Beijing education lobbying group had to say: "A brain needs washing if there is a problem, just as clothes need washing if they're dirty and a kidney needs washing if it's sick," said Jiang Yudui, chairman of the Beijing-friendly China Civic Education Promotion Association of Hong Kong, according to news reports. Jiang's comments in July came at the same time that tens of thousands, including many parents pushing their children in strollers, took to the streets to protest against the plan.

UIZealot 7y ago
> You don't think teaching Chinese in Mandarin (5% first language) rather than Cantonese (90% first language) or trying to introduce national education into the curriculum is assimilation? No I do not. That's just what you teach to your citizens. When the US took over Puerto Rico, kids there damn well learned English, the American history, the national anthem, and the star spangled banner in school. Do you call that assimilation? Or is that OK because it's the US that did it?
- partialrecall 7y ago
  > "When the US took over Puerto Rico, kids there damn well learned English, the American history, the national anthem, and the star spangled banner in school. Do you call that assimilation?" If that's not assimilation, then I have no clue what the term means. > "Or is that OK because it's the US that did it? " If your argument relies on all Americans being hypocritical sycophants of the American government, it's a bad argument. Criticism of America is mainstream in America. One can be American and be critical of the American government, just as one can be Chinese and be critical of the Chinese government. In fact there is ample reason for both to be critical of both.
  - UIZealot 7y ago
    Call it assimilation if you want. My point is that it's what all governments will do under the situation. The fact that China did not push through national education forcibly shows that it's willing to forgo even that minimum amount of "assimilation". It has actually been a model of hands-off administration. EDIT: Actually do not call it assimilation. Learning Mandarin as a shared language does not mean eradicating Cantonese, and most Hongkongers are ethnic Chinese and share much of the same culture, there's nothing to assimilate.

UIZealot 7y ago

I'm still waiting for real answers to my questions. Uninformed opinions are cheap, StarTrek is fun, downvoting is easy. But the truth, that pesky truth, is just so darn inconvenient...