Written and Edited by: Friends of the Taiwan Gazette

Background: The PolyU Siege and the Aftermath

In November 2019, Hong Kong Polytechnic University PolyU became the site of a 13-day siege during the pro-democracy protests that had been ongoing in Hong Kong since the summer. The protests, known as the "Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Anti-ELAB Movement", erupted in response to a proposed bill that was viewed as a threat to the autonomy of the city's jurisdiction and an erosion of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle. The principle was formulated by China as a promise to retain Hong Kong's own systems and way of life after the handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997.                                        

The Movement began as peaceful demonstrations but eventually evolved into more radical pro-democracy protests. Following a conflict between police and protesters at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, protesters occupied the PolyU as a base to defend the roadblock they set at the Cross-Harbour Tunnel. The situation escalated as police surrounded the campus and attempted to attack and arrest protesters by force.                                

According to a report in The Witness, as of August 31st, 2022, a total of 1,393 people were arrested in the PolyU siege, of which 810 were arrested when leaving PolyU. By 2022, a total of 417 people have been charged in connection with the PolyU incident. More than 70% of those charged were charged with rioting.         

To shed light on the PolyU siege, the Ontario Hong Kong Youth Action (OHKYA) and Students For Hong Kong jointly hosted a screening of the documentary, Inside the Red Brick Wall, on November 25, 2022 in Toronto. The screening was followed by small group discussions, wherein participants discussed topics including the identity of Hong Kong diaspora, the future of the overseas Hong Kong community, and potential ways for overseas Hong Kongers to effect change.          

Of the several groups in attendance, two consented to have their discussions recorded and reported. We have summarized these discussions and featured them in two parts. In the first part, we focus on the importance of community for support and change among the participants. We highlight their varying approaches to preserving Hong Kong culture and engaging with Canadian society amidst concerns of transnational repression. In the second part, we explore the diverse and evolving identities of Hong Kongers in Canada, highlighting their strong identification with being Hong Kongers and strategic adoption of various identities based on context.The reports aim to offer insights into the diverse perspectives and opinions of the Hong Kong diaspora living in the Greater Toronto Area.

                          

"Without Community, We Are Powerless" 

                               

Following the PolyU siege, the pro-democracy protests gradually lost momentum and were further dampened by the COVID19 pandemic and the passage of the National Security Law in June 2020, which was used to suppress dissent. Meanwhile, the political turmoil in Hong Kong sparked an emigration wave, with the population declining for three consecutive years, resulting in a loss of 161,800 residents from 2019 to 2022.

Canada has been a popular immigration destination for Hong Kongers since the late 1980s, when people were concerned about the political uncertainty surrounding the city's transfer of sovereignty in 1997. Now, three decades later, another exodus has been sparked. To facilitate the immigration of recent Hong Kong graduates, the Canadian government created two temporary pathways to permanent residence in mid-2021.    

The participants in our community conversation were Hong Kongers who relocated to Toronto during both waves of migration. Many expressed pessimism about their ability to make a difference in the current political climate. For instance, Joyce, a former student at Hong Kong Polytechnic University during the 2019 siege, voiced her frustration with the limitations she faced in supporting the Hong Kong community. She highlighted the difficulty of backing yellow businesses due to the backlash they receive, stating, "I know that I cannot do much. For example, you can see that the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund has ceased operation, and so has the Apple Daily. I can no longer help a news organization. I cannot think of anything that I can do. Even something as simple as supporting yellow shops in Hong Kong is complicated because of all the in-fighting. While supporting yellow shops can help the owners and employees, I don't think it can help the larger community."             

Jason, a newcomer in Toronto through the new temporary pathway, expressed a similarly pessimistic view, stating that the National Security Law made him believe that the fate of the city is sealed: "In fact, history has shown that many cities have declined and never recovered. Not everything has a happy ending, and once something is finished, it's finished." Henry, a long-time resident of Canada, also shared his belief that change can only come from a larger systemic shift rather than individual actions: "it has been more than 30 years since the June Fourth Incident, but nothing has really been done. I tend to have a more pessimistic view of change. Only when the entire system changes can we see what we hope for."        

Kevin, a recent arrival to Canada, highlighted the challenges faced by Hong Kongers in a foreign land, but also underscored the importance of building a Hong Kong diaspora community. "Upon arriving here and embarking on our new lives, we face many challenges. We are completely disoriented. We don't even know where to begin. First of all, we are no longer in Hong Kong, so what can we do? We didn't even know what to do when we were in Hong Kong, and now that we are in Canada, we are even more lost. We have to worry about what to eat, where to live, and how to find a job. It's difficult."                                          

The participants of the community conversation shared a common sentiment of frustration and uncertainty, but it also came with a strong desire to support and strengthen their community. As Kevin continued, "While we may not have all the answers or solutions at hand, we can work together to build a sense of community and find a way forward. Without community, we are powerless. We need to unite the Hong Kong community so that we can move forward."                                             

Promoting Voices of Hong Kongers          

During the community conversation, the participants concurred on the significance of cultivating Hong Kong communities abroad, yet held divergent perspectives on what constitutes an ideal community. Some emphasized the preservation and promotion of Hong Kong culture and values in their everyday lives. As Jason said, "I can preserve Hong Kong culture at a personal level, and as an ordinary folk, I think it's good enough for me to do that." Similarly, Dexter believed that passing down his experiences and culture to future generations is the only thing he can do: "When I watched Revolution of Our Times, someone said that Hong Kong could rebuild its ideal territory 40 years later. I don't think that is possible. So, the only thing I can do is to pass on my own experiences and thoughts about growing up in Hong Kong and what I have been through to the next generation."

Others highlighted the importance of sharing the perspective of Hong Kongers in Canada. Grace reflected on her time as a university student in Canada, and stated that it is important to share her own experiences as a Hong Konger and not let outside perspectives overshadow our voices. She mentioned how some teaching staff may belittle the aspirations of Hong Kongers, but she could express a different opinion from her perspective.                                                          

Joyce recalled what she saw when she was leaving PolyU "I went to the M Core. A bullet was shot into the window, but it didn't break. Someone wrote 'ideas are bulletproof' on the window. I agree that we can't do much now, but some ideas... can be passed down and we can let people know what happened to us. Even though I may not be able to do much now, and even though I don't know what an ordinary person can do. But my idea is bulletproof."                                                      

Joyce acknowledged that she did not have a preconceived notion of an ideal Hong Kong diaspora community. However, she shared her personal contributions towards the community, such as establishing a social media group to assist newcomers in making friends and providing job search advice to members. Although Joyce did not have a detailed plan for building her ideal community, she emphasized the significance of sharing information and offering mutual support within the community.                        

Connecting with Local Communities                                 

Ryan's and Ricker's perspectives on the Hong Kong diaspora communities differed from others in that they emphasized not only the internal dynamics of the community, but also how the community can connect and integrate with the Canadian context. Reflecting on the screening event, Ryan said, "I really appreciate OHKYA for organizing this screening... but sometimes I wonder how these community activities should move forward. As we relocate to Toronto, we become a visible minority... How can we better align our narratives and experiences with the communities here?"         

Ryan's perspective on the Hong Kong diaspora community was focused on bridging the gap between different minority groups by finding common ground in shared experiences such as racism and equality. He believed that a strategic approach was necessary, acknowledging that the general public may not care about Hong Kong's plight. Instead, Ryan emphasized the importance of integrating with the broader Canadian community to push the agenda forward, particularly in public spaces.

Ricker shared Ryan's belief that the Hong Kong diaspora community should strive to integrate into mainstream Canadian society by engaging in meaningful volunteer work. As an example, Ricker spoke about his passion for classical music and how he has used it to raise funds for charities such as Sick Kids and World Vision for over a decade. In 2019, he composed a piece of music titled "Hong Kong Rhapsody" and played it for his non-Hong Kong friends in the classical music community, who asked him many questions about Hong Kong after listening to it. Ricker emphasized the importance of integrating into mainstream society and becoming advocates for issues that matter, saying, "When you become an advocate for certain issues, people will be more willing to listen to what you have to say. This is what I discovered." He cited a concert he held, where many of his Western friends came to support him and, in turn, Hong Kong.                                

Concerns of Transnational Repression                                        

Amid the Hong Kong diaspora's struggle for democracy, there is a growing recognition of the importance of cultivating a sense of community. This strategy offers a relatively safe practice that can be easily integrated into everyday life. As previously mentioned, it has become a preferred, if not the only feasible, option for many who feel helpless amidst political turmoil.                                      

Ryan shed light on this feeling of powerlessness among the diaspora. He emphasized that not every Hong Konger can dedicate themselves unconditionally to the pro-democracy movement due to personal circumstances, and that empathy is crucial in building the movement. "Of course some of us are in exile. But many others come (to Canada) for migration or education, who also go back and forth between Hong Kong and Canada," Ryan said. "Even though I am in Canada today, it does not mean I will not visit Hong Kong again."                                  

Ryan's comment underscores why many Hong Kongers in Canada may not want to engage in riskier activities. He suggested that protecting and promoting their culture and heritage in a safe environment is an essential first step in building the movement, and that empathy should be at the forefront of these efforts.                  

Grace expressed her frustration with the limited actions she can take despite being in Canada. She shared that her family in Hong Kong, who are pro-Beijing, advised her against publicly expressing any resistance: "My mom told me not to post anything sensitive on social media, but I said I already have the freedom to do so in Canada. If not me, who else will speak up?"                                              

The concerns expressed by the participants can be viewed as a manifestation of transnational repression. Scholars have underscored the extraterritorial nature of authoritarian repression and the ability of such regimes to exert control over their populations abroad.1 The concept of transnational repression describes how diasporas, who maintain access to their home country or have significant ties there, often perceive dissent as a risky activity.2 In the past year, there have been reports of individuals who moved abroad getting apprehended during visits to Hong Kong. One such case is that of Elizabeth Tang, the former chief executive of the now-disbanded pro-democracy group Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, who was arrested after visiting her activist husband in jail in Hong Kong. In Canada, the news surrounding the investigations of alleged Chinese police outposts in the Greater Toronto Area may influence how Hong Kongers assess their risks and involvement in diaspora activism. 

 

Communities: The Catalyst for Social Change

In the face of transnational repression and the challenges of integrating newcomers into Canadian society, the organizer of the screening event underscored the vital importance of fostering spaces for overseas Hong Konger communities: "Community activities are more than just building connections within a group. They're fundamentally about harnessing collective power to promote societal change. Different communities coalesce to shape society, which is the foundational ethos behind our OHKYA events—be they recreational or educational. Regardless of the specific activity, our ultimate aim is to unite these individuals in collective action towards a better society."

Notes                                              

1. Glasius, Marlies. 2018. "Extraterritorial Authoritarian Practices: A Framework." Globalizations 152179 97.↩                                                     

2. Moss, Dana M. 2016. "Transnational Repression, Diaspora Mobilization, and the Case of the Arab Spring." Social Problems 63448098.↩