GS Paper 2
Syllabus: India and its neighbourhood-relations, effect of policies and politics of developing and developed countries on India.
Context:
- The Chinese President said Hong Kong was “in a new stage of transitioning from chaos to order” on a rare visit to the Special Administrative Region (SAR).
- July 1, 2022, marked the 25th anniversary of the former British colony’s handover to China and also saw the swearing-in of new Chief Executive John Lee and his government.
- The tighter controls under a national security law imposed in 2020 have prompted some people to leave for Taiwan, Britain and other countries.
Background: Hong Kong, one of Asia’s richest cities and a global business centre with thriving film, publishing and other creative industries, returned to China on July 1, 1997, under an agreement that promised a “high degree of autonomy” for 50 years.
Key Highlights:
- National security Law 2020: Beijing imposed the National Security Law in 2020 following protests that erupted over a proposed extradition law and spread to include demands for more democracy.
- Banning of pro-democratic movements: The territory has banned commemorations of the ruling party’s violent 1989 crackdown on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement.
- Leveraging the potential of Special Administrative Regions(SARs): China’s strategy is to leverage the inherent economic, trade, and technological potential of two ‘Special Administrative Regions’ (SARs)-Hong Kong and Macau—to augment the growth of the mainland.
- Expanding cooperation: Beijing plans to build a high-quality ‘Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area’ so as to expand cooperation between these regions.
- Building platforms: It also encompasses building platforms such as Qianhai in Shenzhen, Hengqin in Zhuhai, Nansha in Guangzhou, and Shenzhen-Hong Kong ‘Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone’.
- Raising national awareness and patriotism: The Communist leadership also seeks to systematically enhance cross-border exchanges and cooperation to raise national awareness and patriotism among citizens of Hong Kong.
- Safeguarding national security: The leadership will effectively employ a combination of instruments including economic means, legal system enforcement mechanisms and coercive policing measures to control Hong Kong to safeguard national security and integrity.
- Parliament only for loyalists: China has introduced ‘patriots’ political reforms which ensure that only loyalists can run for parliament and top executive positions.
Insta Links:
Practice Questions:
Q. The tighter controls under a national security law in Hong Kong in 2020 have prompted some people to leave for other countries. Critically analyze. (15M)
Q. Which of the following is/are part of the Special Administration Regions(SARS) of China?
- Hong Kong
- Taiwan
- Macau
- Tibet
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a. 1 only
b. 1 and 3 only
c. 2, 3 and 4 only
d. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: (b)
Justification:
- The special administrative regions (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China are one of the provincial-level administrative divisions of the People’s Republic of China directly under the control of its Central People’s Government (State Council), being integral areas of the country.
- At present, there are two SARs established according to the Constitution, namely the Hong Kong SAR and the Macau SAR, former British and Portuguese dependencies respectively.
