Are Hong Kongers antagonistic towards Mainlanders? The relationship between Hong Kongers and Mainlanders

Abstract

Not long after its reunification with People's Republic of China (PRC), Hong Kong's

economy was hit by the 1997 Asia Financial Crisis. Before Hong Kong could fully

recover, its economy was badly affected by the 2003 SARS incident. To boast Hong

Kong's economy, PRC signed the Mainland and Hong Kong Economic Partnership

Arrangement (CEPA) with Hong Kong and relaxed the travel restrictions on

Mainlander. Mainland's investment in Hong Kong increases but the closer economic

tie between Hong Kong and mainland China does not translate into a closer

relationship between the Hong Kongers and mainland Chinese. The influx of

Mainlanders leads to a series of clashes between the Hong Kongers and

Mainlanders. Through these clashes, it reflects the tense relationship between Hong

Kongers and Mainlanders and to some extent depicts Hong Kongers are antagonistic

towards Mainlanders. This paper offers a more nuanced analysis of the complex

relationship between Hong Kongers and Mainlanders, and instead argues that not

all Hong Kongers are antagonistic towards Mainlanders. Although there is the

presence of anti-mainlander sentiments in the society, most of the Hong Kongers

possess a rational and neutral attitude towards Mainlanders. Conflicts with

Mainlanders only occur when Hong Kongers feel that their interests have been

violated by Mainlanders.