The Epoch Times Launches ‘Hong Kong & the World’ Website

(Epoch Times Hong Kong)

Hong Kong is a place full of miracles, a famous international city in a small place, with more than 7 million proud Hong Kong people working hard in this blessed land free from natural disasters, creating a prosperous society with a fusion of Chinese and Western cultures.

Sadly, the CCP betrayed its promise. China’s National Security Law dominates the ruling of Hong Kong, violating the principle of “one country, two systems.” The civil society collapsed and freedom of the press disappeared. Hundreds of thousands of Hongkongers moved overseas to find a new life; but many more stayed at home, still holding on to their beliefs and waiting for the dawn.

Hong Kong needs global attention. We create and dedicate the website “Hong Kong & the World“ (世界的香港) to report news about Hong Kong and Hong Kong people, with a hope to save this precious and once splendid pearl of the world from sinking.

As a world economic and financial center, Hong Kong enjoyed one of the freest economies with its independent judiciary, low tax rate, professional talents, and free trade system. This Asian financial hub topped the economic freedom index of the Heritage Foundation for 25 years until 2021. It was crowned as the world’s most competitive economy multiple times by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Hong Kong is also a member of about 50 international organizations, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In 2021, the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom excluded Hong Kong because its economic policies are “controlled from Beijing,” said the Heritage Foundation. In the first five months of this year, Hong Kong’s IPO fundraising hit a new 12-year low. Nearly half of the European companies in Hong Kong plan to fully or partially relocate operations and staff out of the city, according to an IFC Media report, citing a survey by the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. Asia’s World City is losing its professionals and foreign capital; the appeal of Asia’s main finance hub is failing.

Hong Kong, an international transportation and logistics hub, enjoys its image of a world-class transportation center with the Hong Kong International Airport, container ports, and cruise terminals. Hong Kong was the top choice for the regional offices and headquarters of many large companies in the world. It was also the venue for many international events, playing an active and important role on the world stage.

Today’s Hong Kong has lost its pivotal status further with the strict dynamic zero-Covid policy of the Communist China.

Hong Kong, the international and Asia Pacific legal hub, is the only common law jurisdiction within China. The independent judicial system and the non-permanent judges of the Court of Final Appeal from various countries enjoyed a good reputation and won high appraisal in the international legal community. The courts used to exercise judicial power without interference.

Since the anti-extradition bill movement broke out among millions of Hongkongers in 2019, the Hong Kong government has detained more than 10,000 Hongkongers, including middle school students. It has become the norm for pro-democracy and protesters to be imprisoned without trial. There are now 1,014 political prisoners in Hong Kong, an exponential increase in three years since the start of the mass protests on June 9, 2019. At that time there were only a handful of political prisoners. According to a new HKDC (Hong Kong Democracy Council) report, “Hong Kong has one of fastest growing populations of political prisoners in the world, rivaling Belarus, Burma and Cuba,” said the report. The resignation of an Australian judge and two British judges from Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal sends a message of distrust of judicial impartiality in the city.

Hong Kong was once an information center with well-developed communications and a free flow of information, enjoying a high degree of press freedom. The Media industry flourished with award winning journalists, and carried diversified news. According to the World Press Freedom Index, among 180 countries and regions in the world, Hong Kong’s ranking dropped from 18th in 2002 to 148th in 2022, and is now sandwiched between the Philippines and Turkey. Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy paper, Apple Daily, and the popular news website Stand News were forced to shut down. Small-scale media outlets voluntarily closed due to legal risks, and journalists were arrested for national security crimes. The CCP suppresses independent cultural organizations, stifles their survival and development space, and monopolizes the cultural discourse narrative in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is an exchange center of Chinese and Western cultures. The world should remember and hold its hope for Hong Kong—a unique wealth of traditions that retain the traditional Chinese culture and spirit, that has not been destroyed and stained by the CCP, and absorbs the universal values of the West.

Hong Kong, a name that was once admired and cherished, now dangles in despair. The history and advantages that Hong Kong people were proud of have, disappeared overnight, together with the “one country, two systems” policy, after the CCP violated the Sino-British Joint Declaration by forcibly enacting the “Hong Kong National Security Law,” and moving to comprehensively and directly administering Hong Kong.

In such a difficult environment, at least 110,000 Hong Kong people have emigrated to the United Kingdom after the British government launched the British National (Overseas) (BNO) passport program. The net emigration from July 1, 2020 to April 2, 2022, was as high as 325,497. Fortunately, Hong Kong people remain in dignity where they go. While living in harmony with the local people, many Hongkongers are still working hard for Hong Kong’s democracy and freedom.

Hong Kong, the Pearl of the Orient and one of the Four Little Dragons of Asia, should not be reduced to one of the cities under the direct totalitarian rule of the Chinese Communist Party. The unique meaning of belonging to Hong Kong should be preserved, before it totally disappears on the international stage. The people of Hong Kong should protect the world’s wealth it has developed, and pay attention to Hong Kong people at home and abroad.

Hong Kong belongs to the world with its core values inherited from a combination of Chinese and West cultures. It is one this basis that we have created this Web page:

https://theepochtimes.com/c-hong-kong-the-world

In this special period of time, we hope that all countries in the world will continue to help Hong Kong until Hong Kong regains its splendor. We also hope that journalists and people in Hong Kong with this aspiration will support us in this grand endeavor.

Hong Kong is going through the most difficult time in history. *“What is this pain in the wind and rain? Don’t be afraid. At least we still have dreams.“ For the sake of the next generation, the ”Hong Kong of the world” is continuing overseas. Let’s record Hong Kong together.

*Note: The lyrics of a Taiwanese song by singer Zheng Zhi-Hua.