If you asked me, ten years ago today, whether Hong Kong students were actively engaged in politics, the answer would be a resounding “no.” However, two major civil disobedience movements in the past decade have shattered a common perception of the city’s youth as apathetic and disengaged: protests in 2012 against a proposal for”national and moral education,” and the Occupy Movement in 2014. With more and more students standing at the forefront of protests (around the time I published this podcast, HKU students burned the Basic Law to protest China’s control), some politicians and media began to characterize Hong Kong’s youth as idealistic, radical, and unwilling to consider viewpoints beyond their own.
Dissatisfied with the homogenous characterization of Hong Kong’s young citizens, I spoke with students, young professionals, and district counsellors about their political beliefs and engagement. Specifically, I asked them to share their thoughts on the Chinese government’s proposal for Hong Kong’s chief executive elections. The interviews were conducted around a week before the legislative council was slated to vote on the proposal.
Part One features the voices of secondary school and university students, as well as young working professionals. Part Two features Holden Chow, a young legislative councillor and vice chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong.
This feature was broadcasted on June 15 and 16, 2015, on the 1 2 3 Show, Radio Television Hong Kong Radio 3.
(flickr via Studio Incendo)
