Policy brief on the conflict between Hong Kong and Mainland China

For a long time, Hong Kong and mainland China have been at odds. The article outlines a policy brief in which the problem is discussed as well as alternative alternatives. The lawmakers are the essay's intended audience since they are the body in charge of enacting laws and regulations in the country. As a consequence, the essay acts as a message to assist them in addressing the issue that they are actually facing with the aid of the solutions mentioned in the post. It is important to grasp the issue by first learning about Hong Kong's past. At first, it was the British army that lived in Hong Kong, but it was later ceded to England after the Opium fought in the 19th century. In 1842, it was considered as an area to the Brits from being the Qing dynasty location. The place remained under the British colony until 1997, when it was given to the People’s Republic of China. Being a British colony for long made it different from the mainland China. For example, the people used the democratic way to leadership, had a free press and the culture was similar to that of England. Most of the Hong Kongers rejected the People Republic of China, due to the aims laid towards Hong Kong which led to some of leaving to Western Nations. And that marked the problem between Hong Kong and the mainland China. However, the differences between the two places have to be solved due to several reasons. One is that the food supply in mainland China is low and could not be trusted and therefore has to rely on Hong Kong. Also, change is needed for the tourists to change their behavior in the future and also for People’s Republic of China administration to reduce its interest in Hong Kong’s politics. Otherwise, the problems being experienced would continue longer.

Context and Overview

The leading causes of conflict between Hong Kong and the mainland China are the difference systems and culture. This has resulted in the tension between the two areas since 1997. For example regarding politics, the Hong Kongers have increased fear because of the interests are shown by the mainland's government. The other challenge is regarding press where Hong Kong still have the free press, but mainland voices have attempted to control the main media outlets in Hong Kong which have brought in issues where negative statements concerning China's main administration. Considering the tourists to Hong Kong, most of the visitors do not act according to the Kongers expectations as their culture was mainly influenced by Britain and therefore different from mainlands. Kongers claim that tourists from the mainland only visit them to exploit their resources and after dirtying the area, they leave. Also, some of the social behaviors shown by mainland Chinese do not please the Hong Kongers, for example, spitting in the public and eating on the subway. Most of the mothers from the mainland prefer giving birth in Hong Kong for the kids to get the chance to study in the superior institutions and also enjoy the economic success on that side, which annoys the Kongers. The mothers also visited Hong Kong with the aim to purchase huge quantities of milk powder for the children when the mainland was affected by the "tainted milk power sandal." With the several differences, conflicts arose between the two areas for example in 2012; Kong Qingdong claimed that Hong Kongers were ungrateful and called them dogs because of the intense influence of colonialists.

The current policy that is being used in an attempt to end the conflict between Hong Kong and the mainland China is the "one country two systems." The policy insists that though the two places are in the same nation, the areas should have different systems. With the policy, therefore, the fifty years that China government promised Hong Kong that they would use their system should be eliminated or rather made to last forever. Therefore, the two places should live in different countries where they do not relate to one another. Some implications are brought this policy. One is that the Hong Kongers get the chance to live quietly as the nuisance brought by the mainland people will not be experienced. Also, the Hong Kongers would not fear of the central government interrupting their democratic way of government, and therefore most of them would not result in leaving for other nations. The policy also helps regain the already bad economy that has been resulted in unreasonable people from the mainland, who are making the carrying capacity of tourists in Hong Kong exceed. However, the policy should be revisited because its implementation only favors the Hong Kong people. This is because, the mainland part is not stable as said above and therefore separating the two areas would cause low food supply in the mainland, while the Hong Kongers would have food and other resources in excess. Therefore, policies that balance the two areas should be introduced.

Discussion and Critique of Policy Options

Apart from one nation two states, policy, other approaches could be used in solving the conflict between Hong Kong and mainland China. One of the policies is where mainland China enters into the tourists' scheme. One of the reasons as to why Hong Kong is angry and even calls mainland China locusts is the issue of tourism. According to the citizens, mainland people's visits to Hong Kong have resulted in the poor economic status of the area which makes them say that the tourists’ carrying capacity has interfered. To solve the problem, the area should enter in the tourists' scheme which regulates the number of people entering into another place. The other applicable policy is on making mainland people respect the culture of the Hong Kongers. By this, abusive words like calling them dogs because they are influenced by the colonizers should be eliminated. In this policy, the two areas live as one nation but people from the mainland ought to respect the culture of the Kongers. For example, when they visit the area, they should avoid spitting on the ground and eating on subways as Kongers do not find the behaviors morally right.

However, there are advantages and disadvantages in incorporating the two stated policies. One of the advantages to the Kongers is that even after the mainland visitors stop visiting them, the area would still maintain its status quo. In fact, it would be improved because the area disturbances and interruption from mainland people would not be experienced. On the other hand, mainland people would suffer because their entry into Hong Kong would be limited. Therefore, the resources that they enjoyed from freely entering Hong Kong would no longer be gotten. Apart from that, the status quo of the mainland people would be lower as the area is not economically stable. The other policy as well has its pros and cons. If the mainland people are advised to visit Hong Kong without interfering with their culture, the Kongers would still have issues. This is because; mainland's disrespect for Kongers ways of living is not the only issue making them refuses people from the mainland to enter the area. Also, it is not easy for the mainland to start respecting the culture of Kongers bearing in mind that the issue started in 1997. This, therefore, means that the chances of mainland people respecting the culture of the Kongers are low.

The available options for solving this issue have implications regarding politics, economy, social and security impacts. To start with, the option of one nation two states improves the political element in Hong Kong, but disadvantages that of the mainland as the government would have to source food for the citizens elsewhere as the supply in the mainland is not trustworthy. Also, based on the economy, Hong Kong's economy would rise if the policy is put in place and also the method of the tourist's scheme but would be disadvantaged if the alternative on allowing mainland people enter as they respect their culture. Socially, if the first option is considered, both areas suffer as they would no longer get the chance to see each other, though it is the wish of the Kongers. Regarding security, one nation two systems policy would affect the areas as conflicts are likely to increase meaning that the people would attack each other. The only policy that would a little make the areas peaceful is on people respecting others culture as they visit their area, but as said earlier, the Kongers are not willing.

Policy Recommendations

The policy that I would recommend for the conflict between Hong Kong and mainland China is the one nation two systems method. The reason behind my recommendation is that the two areas have completely different systems and cultures. Based on the point that it is not easy for people to change what they have been doing since history, it, therefore, means that the areas could not live in harmony. With the idea that mainland China has its culture and Kongers as well, where the Kongers dislike the social behaviors of the mainland, then the solution could be to implement the policy. However, I know that mainland could not live comfortably without Hong Kong resources. In this case, the Kongers should help the mainland people in resources that they do have in excess. By this, I don't mean that Kongers could allow the mainland people, visit them, but for the resources that they have in excess, they would controllably assist them.

In conclusion, basing the paper on policy briefing regarding the conflict between the Kongers and the mainland China, the paper has discussed on policies to the problem which is helpful to the policy makers as the audience of the paper. As the writer has described the problem is big as mainland China needs Hong Kong while the latter is already stable and finds the mainland disturbing. Therefore, there is the need for evaluation of policies to ensure that both areas are secure.

































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