Beijing's Hard and Soft Repression in Hong Kong

Area of Science:

• Political Science
• Sociology
• Criminology

Background:

• The 2019 anti-government protests in Hong Kong presented significant challenges to Beijing's authority.
• Existing "one country, two systems" framework limited direct intervention by mainland forces like the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
• Hong Kong's relatively autonomous judiciary posed challenges for conviction and sentencing of arrested protesters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the "hard and soft" repression strategies employed by Hong Kong and Beijing authorities.
• To examine how these tactics circumvent limitations imposed by the "one country, two systems" model.
• To investigate the targeting of key professional groups supporting the protests.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of official announcements and policy statements regarding protest management.
• Examination of reported police actions, including alleged "decapacitation" campaigns against protesters.
• Investigation into dismissals of pro-democracy individuals in public and private sectors.
• Case studies of "frontliner" groups: medics, firefighters, lawyers, journalists, and educators.

Main Results:

• Hong Kong police have adopted mainland-style public security tactics, including direct violence against protesters.
• Beijing and local authorities utilize "sharp power" alongside "hard power" (physical repression) and "soft power" (non-physical repression).
• Targeting of professional groups aims to undermine the sustainability and support networks of the protest movement.

Conclusions:

• The employed "hard and soft" approaches represent a sophisticated, albeit repressive, strategy to manage dissent within "one country, two systems" constraints.
• Subversion of the Hong Kong police force and targeting of professional support networks are key components of this strategy.
• These measures highlight the evolving methods of state control in response to persistent civil unrest.