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Hong Kong protests: China should not cause bloodshed

Posted August. 19, 2019 08:47,   

Updated August. 19, 2019 10:13

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A large protest continued in Hong Kong on Sunday as well. The protest in the Victoria Park, which was led by non-governmental group Civil Human Rights Front, was joined by hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong citizens but the participants tried to avoid collision with the police by staying in the park for only 15 minutes and then gradually leaving the premises. Turmoil in Hong Kong that has been continuing for over 10 weeks in response to the extradition law has calmed down to some degree but a crisis can erupt at any second even now.

As Hong Kong protests become more heated and the response from the authorities grow tougher, concern over potential bloodshed continues. In light of an incident on Monday where two Chinese were beaten by protesters occupying the Hong Kong International Airport, the Chinse military said this was an “act of terror,” and strongly indicated that its military force may be involved by saying, “Hong Kong is just 10 minutes away by car.” The host of the Sunday protest in heavy rain asked protesters to refrain from violent behavior for a peaceful protest and emphasized a non-violent peaceful protest based on reasons.

Hong Kong is a symbolic place that represents Asian value through its liberal democracy and market economy. The current protest was ushered with the news on the legislation of the extradition law in March, but there is a sense of crisis underneath it that the "one country, two systems" principle is being seriously undermined in the 22nd year since the handover of Hong Kong. Potential bloodshed in Hong Kong will remind people of China's violent and oppressive politics witnessed in relation to the Tiananmen Square protests 30 years ago, and China will not be able to avoid criticism for still maintaining a system where human rights are not adequately protected. Chinese President Xi Jinping must make smart decisions.

A second Tiananmen Square incident in Hong Kong, a hub of international flights and logistics, could bring about the huge political and economic impact on the global community. U.S. President Donald Trump also said that he doesn’t want to see violent suppressions to put pressure on China while linking trade negotiations with the issue in Hong Kong. The Chinese authorities must keep in mind that any unfortunate incident in Hong Kong will incur strong pressure from the U.S.

It should be noted that some Hong Kong citizens are calling for refrainment from unnecessarily aggressive protests. Such protests may give an excuse for the Chinese authorities to use violent measures for suppression and tarnish the cause advocated by Hong Kong citizens.