>> Sreenivasan: TONIGHT, WE TAKE
A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT IS DRIVING
THE PROTESTS IN HONG KONG, AND
WHY THE MILLIONS OF PROTESTORS
WHO'VE FILLED THE STREETS FOR
MORE THAN FOUR MONTHS SAY THE
FUTURE OF THEIR CITY IS AT
STAKE.
IT'S THE LAST OF OUR TEN-PART
SERIES, "CHINA: POWER AND
PROSPERITY," PRODUCED WITH THE
SUPPORT OF THE PULITZER CENTER.
NEWSHOUR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
CORRESPONDENT NICK SCHIFRIN
REPORTS FROM HONG KONG.
( PROTESTING IN CHINESE )
>> Reporter: IN THE SHADOW OF
DOWNTOWN, HONG KONG TEENAGERS
SPEND THEIR WEEKENDS DENOUNCING
THEIR GOVERNMENT.
( PROTESTING IN CHINESE )
THESE STUDENTS SAY THEY USED TO
BE APOLITICAL.
BUT NOW THEY FEEL THEY HAVE TO
FIGHT, TO SAVE WHAT MAKES THEIR
CITY UNIQUE.
>> Reporter: EVERY PROTESTER
PLAYS A PART, AND 16-YEAR-OLD
SHUM SHUM'S IS TO GIVE FREE
HUGS.
SHE WEARS A MASK THAT'S NOW BEEN
BANNED BY THE GOVERNMENT, AND
PROVIDES ONLY HER NICKNAME TO
HIDE HER IDENTITY FROM HONG KONG
AUTHORITIES SHE ACCUSES OF
PERSECUTING PROTESTORS INSTEAD
OF IMPROVING PEOPLE'S LIVES.
>> Reporter: HONG KONG'S
GENERATION Z WANTS FREEDOM FROM
BEIJING SO MUCH, THEY WROTE
THEIR OWN NATIONAL ANTHEM...
♪ ♪ ♪
...WITH ITS OWN MUSIC VIDEO
THAT'S GONE VIRAL.
"BREAK NOW THE DAWN, LIBERATE
OUR HONG KONG," THEY SING.
"UNITED, WE SAY THIS IS TODAY'S
REVOLUTION."
>> FREE HONG KONG!
>> FREE HONG KONG!
>> Reporter: THIS IS ONE OF HONG
KONG'S MAIN THOROUGHFARES, AND
PROTESTORS HAVE COMPLETELY TAKEN
IT OVER.
AND THEY USE UMBRELLAS NOT ONLY
FOR THE SUN, BUT ALSO BECAUSE
IT'S THE SYMBOL OF THE DEMOCRACY
MOVEMENT HERE.
AND THEY SAY THAT THE FREEDOMS
THAT THIS CITY HAS ENJOYED ARE
BEING ERODED.
THEY STARTED PROTESTING SIX
MONTHS AGO WITH A NARROW DEMAND:
WITHDRAWAL OF A BILL THAT WOULD
ALLOW FOR THE EXTRADITION OF
CRIMINAL SUSPECTS TO MAINLAND
CHINA, WHERE THEY SAY THE
JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS NOT
INDEPENDENT.
>> Reporter: CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR
CARRIE LAM EVENTUALLY WITHDREW
THE BILL, BUT PROTESTORS
EXPANDED THEIR DEMANDS TO
INCLUDE HER RESIGNATION, THE
FREEING OF ARRESTED PROTESTERS,
AND WHAT MANY HERE CALL FREEDOM:
THE ABILITY TO VOTE DIRECTLY FOR
THEIR LEGISLATORS WITHOUT
BEIJING'S INTERFERENCE.
OTHERS DESCRIBE FREEDOM MORE
BROADLY AND HAVE DEEPER
GRIEVANCES.
POLLSTERS SAY THE NUMBER OF HONG
KONG RESIDENTS IDENTIFYING AS
CHINESE IS AT ITS LOWEST LEVEL,
EVER.
SO, WHEN YOU GUYS THINK OF YOUR
IDENTITY, DO YOU IDENTIFY
YOURSELVES AS BOTH CHINESE AND
FROM HONG KONG?
OR JUST HONG KONG?
>> JUST HONG KONG.
>> JUST HONG KONG.
>> Reporter: FOR CENTURIES, HONG
KONG WAS PART OF CHINA.
BUT IN THE 1800s, FOREIGN POWERS
ATTACKED, AND THE BRITISH FORCED
CHINA TO LEASE THE CITY AS PART
OF WHAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT
CALLS THE CENTURY OF
HUMILIATION.
( MUSICAL FANFARE )
IN 1997, THE BRITISH HANDED THE
CITY OVER, AND, UNDER A DEAL
KNOWN AS "ONE COUNTRY, TWO
SYSTEMS," COMMUNIST CHINA
PROMISED HONG KONG COULD KEEP
ITS BRITISH-WRITTEN LAWS AND
INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY BUT HAD TO
TURN OVER ITS DEFENSE AND
FOREIGN POLICY.
BEIJING'S DEFENDERS SAY CHINA
HAS LIVED UP TO ITS PROMISES AND
PROTESTERS' TALK OF REVOLUTION
IS MISGUIDED.
>> I THINK THEY'RE OVER-WORRIED,
YOU KNOW.
IN HONG KONG, THE RULE OF LAW,
THE WELL-ENTRENCHED COMMON LAW
SYSTEM UNDERLINES OUR FREEDOMS
AND RIGHTS, YOU KNOW.
THAT'S WHY THEY CAN HAVE PROTEST
EVERY DAY.
>> Reporter: REGINA IP IS A
MEMBER OF THE CABINET THAT RUNS
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.
SHE SAYS "ONE COUNTRY, TWO
SYSTEMS" IS DOING JUST FINE.
>> AFTER MORE THAN 180 YEARS OF
HONG KONG AS A CITY, WE HAVE A
VERY STRONG AND UNIQUE CULTURE.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH A BIG
COUNTRY HAVING DIFFERENT
REGIONAL CULTURES.
IT'S THE SAME IN THE U.S., YOU
KNOW.
CALIFORNIANS ARE VERY DIFFERENT
FROM THE... FROM THOSE WHO ARE
FROM IOWA OR THE TEXANS, YOU
KNOW?
>> Reporter: BUT PROTESTORS
ARGUE CHINA HAS NOT LIVED UP TO
ITS COMMITMENTS AND IS
ENCROACHING INTO EVERY ASPECT OF
RESIDENTS' LIVES.
PROFESSOR SAMSON YUEN IS
STUDYING THE PROTESTS WITH THE
HELP OF STUDENT POLLSTERS.
>> I THINK THIS IS A... A
GRADUAL BUILD-UP OF PEOPLE'S
DISCONTENT ABOUT HOW CHINA'S
RULING HONG KONG, OR HOW THE
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS NOT
REPRESENTING THE LOCAL
POPULATION BUT MORE REPRESENTING
BEIJING.
>> Reporter: THAT SENTIMENT HAS
TAKEN HOLD SINCE PRO-DEMOCRACY
DEMONSTRATORS OCCUPIED HONG KONG
STREETS FIVE YEARS AGO,
DEMANDING UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.
>> NO REFORMS HAVE BEEN DONE.
AND INSTEAD, THERE HAS BEEN A
LOT OF DISQUALIFICATION AND
PROSECUTION.
SO, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ANGRY FOR A
PERIOD OF TIME.
IT'S A TIME BOMB, AND "ONE
COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS" CAN'T
STAND ON THIS, YOU KNOW, THESE
TIME BOMBS.
>> Reporter: PRO-DEMOCRACY
LEADER JOSHUA WONG HAS BEEN
ARRESTED FIVE TIMES IN THE LAST
FIVE YEARS.
( PROTESTING IN CHINESE )
>> Reporter: IN 2015, THE
EMPLOYEES OF A BOOKSTORE THAT
SOLD BOOKS CRITICIZING BEIJING
DISAPPEARED INSIDE MAINLAND
CHINA.
AND IN 2016 AND 2017, UNDER
PRESSURE FROM BEIJING, HONG
KONG'S HIGH COURT DISQUALIFIED
ELECTED MEMBERS OF HONG KONG'S
LOCAL GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING THE
YOUNGEST-EVER MEMBER,
23-YEAR-OLD NATHAN LAW.
>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT
ACCUMULATED ANGER, THE
INFURIATED CROWDS, EXPLODED
IN... IN THIS SUMMER AND BECAME
WHAT WE HAVE SEEN.
>> Reporter: LAW SAYS HE WAS
DISQUALIFIED NOT BECAUSE OF A
PROPER RULING BUT BECAUSE
BEIJING WAS AFRAID OF THE
YOUNGER GENERATION'S POWER.
>> I PROMISED TO MY CONSTITUENCY
THAT I WILL NOT OBEY A REGIME
THAT BRUTALLY KILLS ITS PEOPLE.
I WILL KEEP MY PROMISE IN MY
CAMPAIGN, THAT I WILL SERVE THE
PEOPLE INSTEAD OF THE REGIME.
AUTONOMY, DEMOCRACY AND LAW HAS
ALWAYS BEEN OUR CORE VALUES
AND...
>> Reporter: LAST MONTH, LAW AND
OTHER PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS
URGED THE U.S. CONGRESS TO PASS
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ALLOW THE
ADMINISTRATION TO SANCTION CHINA
FOR ANY HONG KONG CRACKDOWN.
THEY SAY THEY NEED U.S. HELP.
>> WE ARE AT A STAGE WHERE, YOU
KNOW, THAT WE HAVE TRIED ALL THE
TACTICS THAT WE CAN ON THE
GROUNDS IN HONG KONG.
BUT THEN, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH
TO... TO GAIN THAT TRACTION THAT
WE NEED TO... TO KEEP THIS
MOMENTUM GOING ON.
♪ ♪ ♪
>> Reporter: DENISE HO WAS ONE
OF HONG KONG'S BIGGEST POP
STARS.
SINCE SHE STARTED PROTESTING,
BEIJING REMOVED HER MUSIC FROM
CHINESE WEB SITES AND BANNED HER
FROM PERFORMING IN MAINLAND
CHINA.
SHE SAYS THE PROTEST LEADERS ARE
NOT DEMANDING REVOLUTION, JUST
JUSTICE.
>> WE ARE AT... AT THE STAGE
WHERE, YOU KNOW, HONG KONG IS IN
A POLICE STATE.
AND WE DO NOT HAVE ANY MEANS
WHATSOEVER TO... TO BRING
JUSTICE TO THIS SITUATION OF
POLICE VIOLENCE AND BRUTALITY.
>> Reporter: ON WEDNESDAY, FOR
THE FIRST TIME, POLICE SHOT A
PROTESTER WITH LIVE AMMUNITION,
A STEP UP FROM THE TEAR GAS AND
BATONS USED PREVIOUSLY.
BUT THE VIOLENCE GOES BOTH WAYS.
BACK ON JULY 1, PROTESTERS BROKE
INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
THEY RANSACKED THE BUILDING,
SPRAY-PAINTED CRUDE MESSAGES ON
THE WALLS, AND BRIEFLY OCCUPIED
THE MAIN CHAMBER, THE SEAT OF
HONG KONG POWER.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WITHIN THIS
MOVEMENT WHO SAY THAT THIS WAS A
MISTAKE AND THAT YOU NEEDED TO
STAY PEACEFUL IN ORDER TO MAKE
YOUR POINT.
WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT?
>> FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY
SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE,
PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVE BEEN
FIGHTING FOR 30 YEARS, 40 YEARS,
AND THEY DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE
US, HAVING TO WAIT 40 YEARS.
AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THIS
SENTIMENT.
( PROTESTING IN CHINESE )
>> Reporter: LEE CHEUK YAN IS A
UNION ORGANIZER AND FORMER
MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
HE SAYS BEIJING'S TRYING TO
SILENCE HONG KONG DEMONSTRATORS
TO PREVENT CHANGE IN HONG KONG,
AND PREVENT ANYONE IN MAINLAND
CHINA FROM MAKING THE SAME
DEMANDS.
>> CHINA IS TRYING TO DESTROY
HONG KONG AND OUR IDENTITY, OUR
CULTURE, OUR RULE OF LAW, OUR
ASPIRATIONAL DEMOCRACY, OUR
FREEDOM.
THE COMMUNIST PARTY IS TRYING TO
BAN ALL HUMAN RIGHTS AND
FREEDOMS IN CHINA.
SO, THE ONLY WAY FOR HONG KONG
TO SURVIVE, TO HAVE DEMOCRACY,
IS THAT WE NEED TO FIGHT CHINA
ALSO.
WE NEED TO CHANGE CHINA BEFORE
CHINA CHANGE US.
>> Reporter: PRO-DEMOCRACY
PROTESTERS BELIEVE THEIR MORE
AGGRESSIVE TACTICS ARE
ACCELERATING CHANGE, BUT BEIJING
HAS USED THE TACTICS TO PORTRAY
PROTESTERS AS VIOLENT THREATS TO
STABILITY.
ON FACEBOOK, CHINESE STATE MEDIA
OUTLET "CHINA DAILY" EQUATED THE
PROTESTERS TO TERRORISTS WHO
ATTACKED THE U.S. ON 9/11.
>> ( translated ): FOR TWO
MONTHS NOW, THE HONG KONG POLICE
HAVE BEEN DOING THEIR DUTY
ACCORDING TO THE LAW.
HONG KONG'S RADICAL
DEMONSTRATORS HAVE REPEATEDLY
ATTACKED POLICE OFFICERS WITH
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TOOLS.
THEY HAVE ALREADY COMMITTED
SERIOUSLY VIOLENT CRIMES AND
HAVE BEGUN TO SHOW SIGNS OF
TERRORISM.
>> Reporter: CHINA ALSO BEGAN
THREATENING TO USE ITS MILITARY.
TROOPS MASSED ON THE HONG KONG
BORDER, AND THE ARMY UNIT
ALREADY GARRISONED IN HONG KONG,
RELEASED A SLICK VIDEO SHOWING
SOLDIERS PRACTICING.
BUT BEIJING KNOWS THERE'S
CONSEQUENCES TO ITS RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE U.S. IF THE MILITARY
INTERVENED BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS WARNED.
>> WE'RE ALSO CAREFULLY
MONITORING THE SITUATION IN HONG
KONG.
THE WORLD FULLY EXPECTS THAT THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL HONOR
ITS BINDING TREATY.
HOW CHINA CHOOSES TO HANDLE THE
SITUATION WILL SAY A GREAT DEAL
ABOUT ITS ROLE IN THE WORLD IN
THE FUTURE.
>> Reporter: CHINESE OFFICIALS
SAY COMMENTS LIKE THAT ENCOURAGE
PROTESTERS TO BECOME
SEPARATISTS.
>> ( translated ): THE SITUATION
IN HONG KONG HAS DETERIORATED TO
THE POINT WHERE SOME PROTESTERS
DARE TO OPENLY CHALLENGE THE
PRINCIPLE OF "ONE COUNTRY, TWO
SYSTEMS."
I DON'T THINK THIS IS
INDEPENDENT FROM THE
IRRESPONSIBLE AND INCITING
REMARKS OF SOME WESTERN
POLITICIANS.
>> Reporter: AND BEIJING'S
DEFENDERS POINT OUT ONE OF THE
PROTESTORS' CORE DEMANDS, DIRECT
ELECTIONS, CAN ONLY HAPPEN IF
BEIJING ALLOWS IT.
>> HONG KONG IS PART OF CHINA,
AND, ACCORDING TO OUR
CONSTITUTIONAL ORDER UNDER THE
BASIC LAW RIGHT NOW, FOR ANY
KIND OF UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE TO BE
IMPLEMENTED IN HONG KONG OR
POLITICAL REFORM, WE NEED A
CONSENT FROM THE CENTRAL
GOVERNMENT.
>> Reporter: HOLDEN CHOW IS THE
VICE CHAIRMAN OF A PARTY
CONSIDERED PRO-BEIJING.
HE SAYS IF BEIJING IS GOING TO
CONSIDER GIVING IN TO
DEMONSTRATORS' DEMANDS, THE
PROTESTS NEED TO STOP AND SPLITS
IN HONG KONG'S SOCIETY NEED TO
HEAL.
>> THERE'S A KIND OF MISTRUST
BETWEEN SOME PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
AND ALSO THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
AND MAINLAND.
SO, IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO GAIN
THAT TRUST, I DON'T THINK WE
WILL BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT ANY
KIND OF UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.
>> Reporter: BUT THAT MEANS THE
TWO SIDES MIGHT BE CAUGHT IN A
VICIOUS CIRCLE BECAUSE
DEMONSTRATORS VOW NOT TO STOP
UNTIL THEIR DEMANDS ARE MET.
>> I THINK THE KEY TO FIX THE
POLITICAL PROBLEM IN HONG KONG
IS REALLY TO HAVE MORE DEMOCRACY
HERE, NOT LESS DEMOCRACY.
THE MORE YOU CRACK DOWN, THE
MORE PEOPLE WILL BE DISGRUNTLED,
WILL BUILD UP A LOT OF
GRIEVANCES.
>> Reporter: AND THOSE
GRIEVANCES MAY HAVE ALREADY
FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED THE CITY.
PRO-BEIJING AND PRO-DEMOCRACY
PROTESTERS HAVE SCUFFLED IN
SHOPPING MALLS.
AND AS THE PROTESTS ESCALATED,
MORE AND MORE HONG KONG
RESIDENTS HAVE DECIDED THE CITY
MAY NOT BE A GOOD PLACE TO RAISE
THEIR CHILDREN, INCLUDING SHAM
SHAM'S FATHER.
>> Reporter: HONG KONG FAMILIES,
RESIDENTS ON BOTH SIDES, AND
PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS AND
BEIJING ARE FIGHTING FOR THE
CITY'S FUTURE, AND THE FIGHT IS
NOWHERE NEAR OVER.
FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR, I'M NICK
SCHIFRIN IN HONG KONG.
