Voting rights are at the heart of tensions with China.
As protesters stormed Hong Kong’s legislature on July 1, a masked young man held up a megaphone at the front of the chamber and declared: “I want genuine universal suffrage!”
The demand was part of a list read aloud in the ransacked council room and is at the heart of the protests that have roiled the government this year. The clashes began as an attempt to bar Chief Executive Carrie Lam from changing the local extradition law to allow those facing criminal charges to be sent to mainland China, but they’ve since grown into a general indictment of Beijing’s rule over the former British colony.
Disagreements over democracy in Hong Kong have been a source of instability since China and the U.K. wrote universal suffrage into the Basic Law that’s governed the city since Britain handed rule back to China in 1997. The document describes direct elections for the chief executive as the “ultimate aim” but grants power for selecting the leader to a 1,200-member committee, which has long been dominated by Beijing loyalists. The lack of direct elections is “the root of all evils,” according to the protesters’ declaration, preventing any leader from claiming popular support for her policies.
This story is from the July 15, 2019 edition of Bloomberg Businessweek.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 15, 2019 edition of Bloomberg Businessweek.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Instagram's Founders Say It's Time for a New Social App
The rise of AI and the fall of Twitter could create opportunities for upstarts
Running in Circles
A subscription running shoe program aims to fight footwear waste
What I Learned Working at a Hawaiien Mega-Resort
Nine wild secrets from the staff at Turtle Bay, who have to manage everyone from haughty honeymooners to go-go-dancing golfers.
Sustainability: Calamari's Climate Edge
Squid's ability to flourish in warmer waters makes it fitting for a diet for the changing environment
Brazil Yanks the Welcome Mat for Oil Investors
Foreign oil majors have filed an injunction to halt a new tax on crude exports
POINT OF FAILURE
Silicon Valley Bank's collapse exposed a weakness in tech and in the broader economy
Glencore Stays the Course With Coal
The commodities giant’s CEO says the fossil fuel is still necessary, even as he pursues minerals needed for the energy transition
Under Pressure
History shows that when the Federal Reserve is raising rates, an unexpected shock can trigger a recession
Where the Ax Will Fall Next
Another week, another round of job cuts—this time Meta Platforms Inc. is adding to the 11,000 people it fired in November with thousands more, Bloomberg News has reported.
The Case for Ditching Your Wallet
Bellroy's clever phone carrier keeps those last crucial cards close.