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Introduction
Among China's coast is the city Hong Kong which is celebrated for its vibrant cultural
blend of Eastern and Western influences. However, beneath this beautiful surface lies an anti-
democratic political landscape marked by tensions between the government and its citizens. In
recent years, Hong Kong's youth have become increasingly vocal in their demands for
democratic reforms, as they perceive a threat to their freedoms. One such youth is named Joshua
Wong who decided it was time for a change in his community. The struggle between cultural
norms and political realities shows a moment in the city's history, where the side for democratic
ideals crosses with the preservation of its society.
Cultural Norms, Influence, and Political Forces Affecting the Youth of Hong Kong
In Hong Kong as a youth, it is almost entirely impossible to express your own opinion.
The government of China forcefully censors all beliefs that are contradictory of their own
agendas. When the people of China finally do get the news, it appears to be so watered down,
edited, and scripted that the citizens don’t know what to believe. According to the article “Meet
the 17-year-old Leading Hong Kong’s Protests” Joshua Wong says, “If the soldiers come, we will
go back home … we don’t want to see blood.” 1 The problem here is Wong was simply just
protesting for a right he believes to be right. The Chinese government doesn’t see it that way, and
instead instills a fear into these teenagers, so much so, that they are willing to give up what they
believe to save themselves from bloodshed. In the other article “Echoing Tiananmen, 17-year-old
Hong Kong Student Prepares for Democracy Battle” a CNN journalists interviews a citizen by
the name of Hu Jia, and he says, “Fear has Been deeply rooted in our genes through the past 65
years. The majority of China’s 1.3 billion people are not true citizens- most of the people are
1 MacLeod Calum, “Meet the 17-year-old Leading Hong Kong’s Protests” USA TODAY
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simply submissive.” 2 The government in China is indeed oppressive and ruthless, but the
Tiananmen event showed that the youth want change. With the event that took place most of the
youth stood up against the Chinese government and protested despite the harsh consequences
they might face.
Youth Response and Impact
The youth saw the oppression of the government and would not stand for it. With the
Tiananmen event taking place a 15-year-old Joshua Wong was able to inspire an uprising of
students who also wanted change. The politics are corrupted, the people know it, but nobody
dares say anything for fear of being silenced. However, with the youth standing up and speaking
for what they believe in, despite any threats made by the government, they are giving power back
to the people. The article even states that, “His group, which now has around 300 student
members, has become one of the city’s most vocal voices for democracy. And the kids are being
taken seriously.” 2 The fact the students are being shown respect for their efforts shows the affect
they have on their community. If this is the way in which to gain democratic peace in mainland
China then Joshua Wong and his fellow classmates have already done a considerable job in
starting a movement towards real change.
Reaching Youth in Hong Kong
As a youth leader traveling to Hong Kong things would have to be considered when
trying to connect with the youth culture there. An understanding of the government would have
to be established. The government of China is a lot more strict, oppressive, and intolerant of
freedoms. As a citizen of the U.S. freedoms are a lot more frequent and one must understand that
2 Chan Wilfred, and Yang Yuli, “Echoing Tiananmen, 17 year-old Hong Kong Student Prepares for Democracy
Battle” CNN
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if to affectively encourage youth who do not have those freedoms. One cannot simply go to
China and expect to freely speak and say whatever comes to mind, like in America. The youth in
China want change, to go about achieving that change they must risk their lives in an attempt to
hopefully secure some foothold in the local media in which to display their beliefs. This lack of
freedom might not seem like a big deal to an American, but it is a huge step for a youth in China,
and it may very well scare them half to death to speak against their own government. The best
thing to do as youth worker trying to reach the youth in this situation is to not to force American
politics on them, but more show them that by standing up for what they believe, then very soon
they will have the same freedoms that we cherish in America. Encourage them in their struggle,
but do not try and conduct their struggle.
Conclusion
The youth in Hong Kong are divided against the government of mainland China. They
saw the effects of the Tiananmen event, and this influenced a spark in protests. They were also
influenced and led by a fellow student named Joshua Wong, who created a way for students to
show their disapproval of the lack of freedoms given to them. The reactions demonstrated by the
youth was the stand up and protest. A youth leader who would be traveling to this community
could help support this group by showing them the benefits of their efforts, and to help support
them, but not lead them.
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