[ElBarto]

Hongkong was taken away from China with cannons and drugs.

Handing it back was the right thing to do legally (for the new territories), morally, and historically.

It's sad to see people effectively praising European imperialism in 2019, reminds me of the old "civilising the natives" antics.

Edit since I'm being prevented from relying to comments:

There is no regression. Those protesters were charged under a colonial-era law.

Hongkong did not even have the Legislative Council under the British, which was created it as a 'gift' to the Chinese.

From the popular vote, it seems to me that the "pro-Beijing" camp has a majority, so that's what "the people want"...

Let's be realistic and put things in perspective, shall we.

Edit 2:

To the person who replied:

> Meanwhile, during those 100 years, a new, distinct, non Chinese culture developed. Hong Kong people speak a different language than mainland, have different food, culture references and desires.

HK's culture is as Chinese as can be. In fact it is more traditional Chinese than the mainland. They speak Chinese (Cantonese is 'Chinese', it's the language spoken in Guangdong province hence why it is spoken in HK, 'Canton' is how Guangzhou used to be called...), they eat Chinese. It would be good to know a minimum about a topic before commenting.

[_cerv]

I guess I'll be honest here as I spent way too long trying to come up with a response as your comment rattled a part of me, the part that gets a touch emotional when walking across the square where the shadow of the Goddess of Democracy once graced. Where those same stones were later soaked in the blood of men and women who only sought to voice their displeasure in the actions of their leaders.

I saw the umbrella movement as an early action to show that there will be resistance from those who do not feel that ruling party has their interest at heart. When those who lead and championed this movement were removed from the territories and sent to the mainland to be punished, it signaled that PRC was not going to change its tactics and resistance to gilded tyranny would have to charge on.

Now I have heard the arguments that you have parroted here, but this is the first time where I have someone effectively call my desire for my close friends to maintain their Democracy as a form of white supremacy. I'm sure you'll tell me that June 4th was just an uneventful day in that square and it was the West that unjustly agitated the student population.

[kweks]

Meanwhile, during those 100 years, a new, distinct, non Chinese culture developed. Hong Kong people speak a different language than mainland, have different food, culture references and desires.

Jordan was created in 1921. Israel was created in 1948.

Most people agree that these countries have distinct cultures, and are younger than Hong Kong.

Unsure why you'd assume it would be (it's not) any different for Hong Kong, but would like to hear why.

[seanmcdirmid]

Hong Kong speak cantonense, there are many more Cantonese speakers in Guangdong and the rest of China than Hong Kong. The food is very similar to the surrounding provinces as well, though with some variation...maybe?

HK culture, movies and pop music, has been hugely influential on the mainland, so I guess there is that.

There are perhaps good arguments for HK to be its own country, but distinct language and food isn’t one of them.

[kweks]

To this poster, and the above edit - I live and work in HK, and was in Hong Kong during the protests.

There are incredibly distinct Hong Kong foods. You'll never find yuanyang (tea coffee mix) in mainland,like you'll not find Rua Jia Mu (Chinese snack burger) in Hong Kong.

Obviously HKers have Cantonese roots. I wasn't arguing who was more traditional, I was pointing out that HKers consider themselves Hong Kongese, not Chinese.

The OP alludes that HK was kept under the yolk of British rule, and is eager to shed its shackles to return to the mainland. This is simply not the case.

[EastToWest]

I can assure you there are incredibly distinct foods, languages and cultures everywhere in China.

People from different provinces consider themselves "people from that particular province". I guess the difference is that they also consider themselves Chinese.

> The OP alludes that HK was kept under the yolk [sic] of British rule, and is eager to shed its shackles to return to the mainland. This is simply not the case.

But they were. Governers were appointed by the Queen. Protests were brutally surpressed -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_1966_riots

(edit: typos)

[NotPaidToPost]

China is a vast place, of course there are local dishes. But no-one would seriously even suggest that HK's food isn't Chinese food, or that their culture isn't Chinese.

> The OP alludes that HK was kept under the yolk of British rule, and is eager to shed its shackles to return to the mainland. This is simply not the case.

I cannot find any such allusion in this thread. It is true, though that the situation wasn't better under the British, and it was perhaps worse (no LegCo).

[ngcc_hk]

If Cantonese is really Chinese, why they the mainlander want to destroy it even in canton. They cannot practically read the “chinese” newspaper here or Taiwan as it is quite different. We do not eat dog and cat.

I think sentiment many hker is not really want to be chinese under the communist rule. Not even the establishment camp looking at the recent law enactment issue.

Back to the fundamental. Humanity with a sense of liberty would not sacrifice human and let them fall into the regime that have social credit system, no freedom to access internet, no freedom to worship both Jesus and be Muslim.

[conjectures]

European imperialism was bad. Therefore any criticism of contemporary repression is support of historical imperialism. This is a non sequitur.

[NotPaidToPost]

I think the suggestion is that some comments give the impression that the "natives" would be much better off under Western rule than under their own people's.

I can understand that this may pass off as supporting European imperialism, and even perhaps racism.

We can hope that China becomes democratic but that is an issue for the Chinese people.

[EliRivers]

I thought HK spoke Cantonese? At least, until the PRC enforces Mandarin. It's a tactic with a long history - replace a people's language with your own.

[kweks]

Correct. Cantonese and English are official languages. Outside of commerce and the central districts, it's definitely Cantonese with a smattering of English - which is quite nice.

[_cerv]

They still do, and a quite a bit of English

[raxxorrax]

> Handing it back was the right thing to do legally (for the new territories), morally, and historically.

Morally? Really? Think people in HK agree?

HK developed a form of democracy and is forced to rejoin a country that is comparably underdeveloped. Socially, culturally and legislatively.

[EastToWest]

There was no democracy under British rules, period.

[throwaway2048]

What about what the people of Hong Kong want?

[ngcc_hk]

Liberty.

Can read reddit, Facebook, google and hacker news.