Opposition to the Guangzhou-Hong Kong Express Rail Link
Encyclopedia
Opposition to the Guangzhou-Hong Kong Express Rail Link , is a movement and period of civil discontent in Hong Kong between mid 2009 and early 2010. Select groups of Hong Kong residents protested the proposed Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Hong Kong Express Rail Link
(abbreviated XRL), a high-speed railway that would link Hong Kong with mainland China's growing high-speed rail network
.
Pan-democracy legislators made the most of their limited opportunity within committee to query the project rationale within the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
(LegCo), while civil groups kept vigil outside LegCo during the debate. The January protest has also been called the "siege of Legco" by local media. Ultimately, the movement was unsuccessful in impeding the government's plans to build the railway.
in Central
.
. The debate was put on hold and the funding was not yet finalised.
A series of disputes and arguments were held in and out of the HK legislative council chamber for four weeks. Lawmakers that were for or against the line traded insults during debate that lasted 25 hours straight. On 15 January, hundreds of young protesters swarmed the government house
gates.
On the morning of 16 January, protests carried on, along with the debates inside the LegCo building. About 10,000 people showed up at the peak according to organizers. Police gave the figure of 1,700. About 1,200 police officers were involved. Just before the approval of the budget at around 18:00, an initial group of people tried to storm the Legislative Council building
, but was blocked by the police. Then scuffles broke out as the police used pepper spray
on the citizens while they covered their face with sheets of plastic wrap
.
Arming with mobile devices and communicating with Twitter, protesters quickly moved into 6 separating strategic positions on the streets around the LegCo building, blocking all the exits. Eva Cheng
and pro-government legislators were trapped inside the Legco building until 17 January. Blogger Martin Oei drew a detailed strategic map showing the distribution of police and protesters, and gave an estimation of about 1700 protesters in that night. The crowd that surrounded the building promised Eva Cheng her safety if she would only come out to talk. She did not.
The pro-Beijing
Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong had to be escorted out of the building while the crowd chanted "shame". Five police officers were injured.
of the Heung Yee Kuk
, about 20 post-80s generation anti-rail representatives joined the annual HK kau cim tradition
at Che Kung temple
, Sha Tin
to draw three divination sticks for the year of the tiger
. They said the fortune of the city should not depend on unelected, unrepresentative business/political personalities leaders. Two 'mid' sticks were drawn with #89 and #24, along with one 'misfortune' stick. The misfortune stick #74 was interpreted as 凡事待遲 (roughly translated as "Everything should be carried out later").
Besides possible damage to the environment during its construction and operation, the rail link would cost HK$69.9 billion (US$9 billion), while the estimated return over 50 years is only HK$80b. A village along the track, Choi Yuen Tsuen, home to about 500 people, would be dismantled. Tai Kok Tsui
residents said the railway would cause unbearable noise pollution to residents in some districts and could cause a number of old buildings with poor foundations to collapse.
A number of different groups, ranging from environmentalist
s to the affected villagers, oppose the project for different reasons. With regular demonstrations, the collection of signatures and various other forms of protest, they are trying to raise awareness among the population and to exert pressure upon the respective politicians. By the end of June 2009 more than 10,000 signatures, opposing plans for the railway, were collected.
Doubts have also been cast on the official projections and plans for the national rail link. While the rail link is officially needed to connect to the high-speed national rail network at Shibi, Guangzhou, reports show that nearly 80% of the trains will actually end in Shenzhen
. Hong Kong's Pro-democracy camp
has said that the project will only benefit developers.
Meanwhile, Mirana Szeto, a member of the Stop XRL Alliance compared the civil opposition to the 1989 Tiananmen Square Protests in Beijing some 20 years earlier. They want the government to stop collusion and corruption, and wanted to fight for democracy. The Professional Commons, a think tank of the Civic Party
, has reportedly exposed many flaws in the project using testimonials from rail experts. Post 80s generation. According to some government members, who opted for a purely generational analysis of the phenomenon, many of them feel helpless in today's society where it is impossible to move forward/up..
However, other observers regard them as a new civil force bringing along a positive project for Hong Kong. Via its discourse on a more inclusive developmental approach, an encompassing form of democracy and the decolonization of the territory it has developed during its various urban campaigns, the movement is regarded as striving for the emancipation of both the city and the citizen. Cultural critic Law Wing-sang regards the opposition to the Guangzhou-Hong Kong Express Rail Link as the first step of the collapse of the dominant ideology and analyses the movement as having initiated the process of decolonization for Hong Kong, where local economic elites and colonizers have historically worked hand in hand with each other, in what he termed collaborative colonial power. Ma Ngok, another prominent political observer, also supported the protesters, and regarded the "black box" process through which the project of the Rail Link was arrived at as epitomizing the structural governance problem of the Hong Kong administration.
Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link
The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link Hong Kong Section is a proposed high speed railway connecting Kowloon with the high-speed rail network of China at Shenzhen...
(abbreviated XRL), a high-speed railway that would link Hong Kong with mainland China's growing high-speed rail network
High-speed rail in China
High-speed rail in China refers to any commercial train service in the China with an average speed of or higher. By that measure, China has the world's longest high-speed rail network with about of routes in service as of June 2011 including of rail lines with top speeds of...
.
Background
Segments of the general public and various interest groups opposed to certain aspects of the Hong Kong section of the project mobilised through petitions, marches, hunger-strikes, rallies to show their discontent at government insistence on pushing through the project. They cited cost, noise pollution, customs and border control complications, and existing rail links as main reasons for the opposition.Pan-democracy legislators made the most of their limited opportunity within committee to query the project rationale within the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
The Legislative Council is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong.-History:The Legislative Council of Hong Kong was set up in 1843 as a colonial legislature under British rule...
(LegCo), while civil groups kept vigil outside LegCo during the debate. The January protest has also been called the "siege of Legco" by local media. Ultimately, the movement was unsuccessful in impeding the government's plans to build the railway.
November 2009
On 29 November, a demonstration of more than 1,000 people protesting against the construction of the Express Rail link gained the attention of the local media when a group of 100 people engaged in a sit-in protest in front of the government headquartersCentral Government Offices
The Central Government Offices houses the most major offices of the Hong Kong Government. Located in Central in Hong Kong, it occupies the lower level of Government Hill.- History :...
in Central
Central, Hong Kong
Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. It is located in Central and Western District, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula...
.
December 2009
On 18 December, the funding application was debated in the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council. A demonstration of an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 people was staged around the Legislative Council BuildingLegislative Council Building
The Legislative Council Building of Hong Kong, also called the Former Supreme Court Building , was the home of the former Supreme Court until 1985, when it was renamed and became home to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. Members of the Council and the President have offices in this building...
. The debate was put on hold and the funding was not yet finalised.
January 2010
A group performed a "prostrating walk" (苦行) imitating Tibetan pilgrims, dubbing it the "Prostrating Walk of the Five Districts", in which participants kneel down and touch the ground with their heads every 26 steps (to symbolise the length of the rail link), from 5 to 8 January. Protesters also walked around the LegCo building in a similar fashion during the protest from 15 to 16 January.A series of disputes and arguments were held in and out of the HK legislative council chamber for four weeks. Lawmakers that were for or against the line traded insults during debate that lasted 25 hours straight. On 15 January, hundreds of young protesters swarmed the government house
Government House, Hong Kong
Government House , located on Government Hill in the Central District of Hong Kong Island, is the official residence of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong...
gates.
On the morning of 16 January, protests carried on, along with the debates inside the LegCo building. About 10,000 people showed up at the peak according to organizers. Police gave the figure of 1,700. About 1,200 police officers were involved. Just before the approval of the budget at around 18:00, an initial group of people tried to storm the Legislative Council building
Legislative Council Building
The Legislative Council Building of Hong Kong, also called the Former Supreme Court Building , was the home of the former Supreme Court until 1985, when it was renamed and became home to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. Members of the Council and the President have offices in this building...
, but was blocked by the police. Then scuffles broke out as the police used pepper spray
Pepper spray
Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...
on the citizens while they covered their face with sheets of plastic wrap
Plastic wrap
Plastic wrap, cling film , cling wrap or food wrap, is a thin plastic film typically used for sealing food items in containers to keep them fresh over a longer period of time...
.
Arming with mobile devices and communicating with Twitter, protesters quickly moved into 6 separating strategic positions on the streets around the LegCo building, blocking all the exits. Eva Cheng
Eva Cheng
Eva Cheng Yu-wah, JP is the Secretary for Transport and Housing and the chairman of the Hong Kong Housing Authority in the Hong Kong Government...
and pro-government legislators were trapped inside the Legco building until 17 January. Blogger Martin Oei drew a detailed strategic map showing the distribution of police and protesters, and gave an estimation of about 1700 protesters in that night. The crowd that surrounded the building promised Eva Cheng her safety if she would only come out to talk. She did not.
The pro-Beijing
Pro-Beijing Camp
The Pro-Beijing Camp, pro-Establishment Camp, pan-Establishment Camp is a segment of Hong Kong society that supports the policies and views of the People's Republic of China before and after the handover of Hong Kong in 1997.It is also nicknamed the royalists or loyalists.The term can be used to...
Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong had to be escorted out of the building while the crowd chanted "shame". Five police officers were injured.
February 2010
On 15 February 2010, and shadowing the tradition of Lau Wong FatLau Wong Fat
Lau Wong Fat, GBM, GBS, OBE, JP is a member of the Hong Kong Executive Council as well as the Hong Kong Legislative Council, representing the Heung Yee Kuk constituency. He is chairman of the New Territories Heung Yee Kuk and the Tuen Mun District Council...
of the Heung Yee Kuk
Heung Yee Kuk
The Heung Yee Kuk is a statutory advisory body representing the indigenous inhabitants of New Territories, Hong Kong.Colloquially shortened to 'the Kuk'.-History:...
, about 20 post-80s generation anti-rail representatives joined the annual HK kau cim tradition
Hong Kong Lunar New year kau cim tradition
Hong Kong Lunar New year kau cim tradition is a divination process where a Hong Kong citizen represents the city in a ritual called kau cim. The event takes place in Che Kung temple, Sha Tin where a fortune stick is drawn. The luck of the city for that upcoming Lunar year will be decided by the...
at Che Kung temple
Che Kung Miu
Che Kung Miu , also called Che Kung Temple, are the temples for Che Kung , who was a general during the Southern Song Dynasty in ancient China. He is believed by some worshipers to have been involved in the attempt to keep the Song state alive by bringing Prince Ping and his brother to the South...
, Sha Tin
Sha Tin
Sha Tin, also spelled Shatin, is an area around the Shing Mun River in the New Territories of Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Sha Tin District.-Geography:...
to draw three divination sticks for the year of the tiger
Tiger (zodiac)
The Tiger , is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The Year of the Tiger is associated with the earthly branch symbol 寅.- Years and the Five Elements :...
. They said the fortune of the city should not depend on unelected, unrepresentative business/political personalities leaders. Two 'mid' sticks were drawn with #89 and #24, along with one 'misfortune' stick. The misfortune stick #74 was interpreted as 凡事待遲 (roughly translated as "Everything should be carried out later").
Reasons for opposition
The opposition was initiated by media activists already active in high key campaigns such as the struggle for the preservation of the Star Ferry and Queen's Piers in 2006 and 2007, at the outset, only focused on saving Choi Yuen Tsuen village, which was painstakingly built by its residents over four decades. Yet, while the activists were working on ways to solve the problem, they found out the many inconsistencies with the government plan and finally went out to oppose the rail link as a whole. It was widely regarded as sacrificing the interests of the common people to a small minority of economic elites.Besides possible damage to the environment during its construction and operation, the rail link would cost HK$69.9 billion (US$9 billion), while the estimated return over 50 years is only HK$80b. A village along the track, Choi Yuen Tsuen, home to about 500 people, would be dismantled. Tai Kok Tsui
Tai Kok Tsui
Tai Kok Tsui is an area west of Mong Kok in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The mixed land use of industrial and residential is present in the old area. The Cosmopolitan Dock and oil depots were previously located there...
residents said the railway would cause unbearable noise pollution to residents in some districts and could cause a number of old buildings with poor foundations to collapse.
A number of different groups, ranging from environmentalist
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
s to the affected villagers, oppose the project for different reasons. With regular demonstrations, the collection of signatures and various other forms of protest, they are trying to raise awareness among the population and to exert pressure upon the respective politicians. By the end of June 2009 more than 10,000 signatures, opposing plans for the railway, were collected.
Doubts have also been cast on the official projections and plans for the national rail link. While the rail link is officially needed to connect to the high-speed national rail network at Shibi, Guangzhou, reports show that nearly 80% of the trains will actually end in Shenzhen
Shenzhen
Shenzhen is a major city in the south of Southern China's Guangdong Province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong. The area became China's first—and one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones...
. Hong Kong's Pro-democracy camp
Pro-democracy camp
Pro-democracy camp, pan-democracy camp or pan-democrats refer to the politicians and social activists in Hong Kong who support increased democracy and may work together in areas of common interest or by not fielding candidates against one another in elections.Democratic activists are usually...
has said that the project will only benefit developers.
Meanwhile, Mirana Szeto, a member of the Stop XRL Alliance compared the civil opposition to the 1989 Tiananmen Square Protests in Beijing some 20 years earlier. They want the government to stop collusion and corruption, and wanted to fight for democracy. The Professional Commons, a think tank of the Civic Party
Civic Party
Civic Party is a liberal democratic political party in Hong Kong.The Civic Party is currently the third largest political party in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, with five members securing seats in the 2008 Hong Kong Legislative Council elections...
, has reportedly exposed many flaws in the project using testimonials from rail experts. Post 80s generation. According to some government members, who opted for a purely generational analysis of the phenomenon, many of them feel helpless in today's society where it is impossible to move forward/up..
However, other observers regard them as a new civil force bringing along a positive project for Hong Kong. Via its discourse on a more inclusive developmental approach, an encompassing form of democracy and the decolonization of the territory it has developed during its various urban campaigns, the movement is regarded as striving for the emancipation of both the city and the citizen. Cultural critic Law Wing-sang regards the opposition to the Guangzhou-Hong Kong Express Rail Link as the first step of the collapse of the dominant ideology and analyses the movement as having initiated the process of decolonization for Hong Kong, where local economic elites and colonizers have historically worked hand in hand with each other, in what he termed collaborative colonial power. Ma Ngok, another prominent political observer, also supported the protesters, and regarded the "black box" process through which the project of the Rail Link was arrived at as epitomizing the structural governance problem of the Hong Kong administration.