Will China Mend It’s Ways After Hong Kong Protest – OpEd

Protest by residents of Hong Kong against Chinese government’s move to implement  Extradition Bill  in Hong Kong have been going on  for around 10 weeks now.

Chinese government bowed down to the pressure applied by the protesters by suspending implementation of controversial law but the protestors in  Hong Kong are not satisfied. They have extended the demand now by insisting on several other requirements, which is unlikely to be accepted by the Chinese government. However, the Hong Kong protestors seem to be determined.

With blocking of Hong Kong air port by the protestors resulting in suspension of several flights, protests have assumed serious proportion. It is  not clear as to how the Chinese government proposes to deal with  the on going crisis in Hong Kong. It is reported that  large  number of Chinese troops have been deployed in the Hong Kong border and probably the troops are kept ready  and are well equipped to suppress the protestors violently. At this stage, one is not  sure  how the situation would shape up.

However, it is a fact that this is not the first time that the totalitarian regime in China has faced massive protest from the people,  demanding political freedom, liberty and rights for freedom of speech.

While  several small protests were reported to have taken place in the past, they have been put down by Chinese government ruthlessly .One of the past protests was at Tiananmen Square which  was reported all over the world media. Government of China put down the protest in arrogant way .Large number of protestors were reported to have been wiped out from the world  in secret cells. Finally, Chinese government “won” and the protest was  “successfully suppressed”.

Uyghurs, (Islamic  group) living in Xinjiang region, in the country’s north-west. have been   demanding religious freedom to practice Islamic laws. However, the government of China  has been ruthlessly dealing with the protesting Uyghurs and  reported to have  demolished several mosques and arrested the Uyghurs ,   who are demanding religious freedom.

Unlike the protest at Tiananmen Square which received world wide adverse publicity,  Chinese government has successfully ensured so far that its aggressive action against Uyghurs  protestors have been screened away from the world media. No one outside China seems to have full view of the extent  of suppression and violence practiced by  Government of China to put down the protestors.

In 1950’s,  China entered into nearby Tibet region  and occupied forcibly. Respected the  Dalai Lama and his followers and disciples had to escape to neighbouring country India to protect themselves from the atrocities of Chinese armed forces. Many Tibetans  who protested against Chinese aggression  were reported to have been massacred, suppressed and silenced by the   Chinese army. .Ever since  this period, for the last several decades,  Tibet has been under the  Chinese occupation with enforced iron curtain  to prevent the outside world from knowing as to what is happening in Tibet. No outsiders are allowed to enter Tibet to see the conditions for themselves.

In 1962, Chinese army entered Indian territory, when  war took place and well armed Chinese army virtually won the war and China continues to occupy large areas of Indian land, that was captured after the war.

Now, China claims that Indian province Arunachal Pradesh belongs to it.

China has successively brought Pakistan under it’s effective control by lending huge loans and debts and launching economic corridor  projects in Pakistan . Several valuable assets of Pakistan  including mines and ports are now owned  and operated by Chinese companies. Pakistan already appear to have become extended territory of China for  all practical purposes. It appears that China will never give up it’s vice like grip  over weak and helpless Pakistan.

During the last 70 years, Chinese government has been adopting  aggressive  postures with regard to several issues in dealing with the neighbouring and nearby countries. It appears that China is under the  impression that it can view the world opinion about it’s aggressive dealings  with contempt and China seems to think that the world opinion is impotent.

As a matter of fact, it appears that China’s view of world opinion appears to have been proved to be correct to some extent, as most of the countries have ignored the atrocities committed by China in Tibet and China’s violent suppression of protest in Tinanman Square. With China gaining strength in it’s economy and military power, most of the  the countries want to have trade with China and are taking precautions to ensure that they would not displease the Chinese government in any way.

In such circumstances, the protest by the Hong Kong residents against the Chinese government, which now appear to be taking the shape of  independent Hong Kong movement  is a serious challenge that China now faces.

Unlike in the past, China has now become vulnerable to the world opinion and trade trends, as it’s economy has greater exposure to the world market  and export is a vital need for Chinese economy to survive.

The question is whether China can massacre and kill the protestors in Hong Kong to suppress the protest  in the way that it did in Tibet and in other places in China.

It is obvious that China is now lacking in ideas as to how to handle the protestors in Hong Kong. Perhaps, China is slowly realizing that totalitarian regime and ruthless suppression of mass protests  has it’s limits.

The question is whether such realization will further increase amongst the communist leaders in China and whether Chinese government will mend it’s ways to gain more acceptability amongst the world community as a civilized government that respect human freedom and the concept of individual liberty.

The aggression by China in Tibet is remaining as a standing monument for China’s unethical ways and brutal methods to achieve it’s objectives.

Hong Kong protests would serve it’s purpose, if Chinese government would realize that it has to undo it’s past mistakes by restoring the position of Tibet as an independent country, giving up it’s claims on Indian territory  and recognizing and respecting the aspirations of Hong Kong residents for freedom and liberty, even if it would mean that Hong Kong has to  be assured of it’s full autonomous status for all time to come.