RICHARD
Form: IV
From: Beijing, China
Location: Athletic & Fitness Center
Opinion:
Hong Kong is a culturally, politically and economically different place than mainland China, but this shouldn't affect the way mainlanders treat Hong Kong-ers, or vice versa. Growing up in Beijing, I studied in international schools for both elementary and middle school. There were students from all over the world, with a handful of them from Hong Kong and undoubtedly mainland China. Did these kids get along with each other? Of course. Their differences in place of origin didn't matter.
Nevertheless, because Hong Kong is in essence so different than mainland China, it should be allowed (at least to a certain extent) political flexibility and freedom. Yes - Hong Kong should embrace parts of Chinese culture and language, but the interference of the mainland central government is unjustified in certain cases.
Here in America, there is an inherent ambiguity that prevails when it comes to the definition of Hong Kong. Is Hong Kong a part of China, or not? Technically, it is. Hong Kong, however, was only handed over in 1997, and the sheer amount of time Hong Kong spent as a colony has transformed its environment into something distinctive.
This issue should definitely be explored further at SPS.
