This archive report was first published on 29 September 2019.
Published on September 29, 2019, a story emerged about a family torn apart by their differing views on Hong Kong's protests. The father, a cellphone accessories seller, had left the mainland for Hong Kong decades ago in search of economic freedom.
He had built a comfortable life, saving up enough to buy two apartments and enjoying a higher standard of living than his siblings who remained in the mainland. However, as the years went by, he noticed a change in the dynamic. His siblings were becoming wealthier, with bigger apartments and government pensions, and were no longer interested in visiting Hong Kong.
“Now their lives are better than mine,” the father said wistfully. “If I had known back then how developed China would become, I never would have left.”
Despite their differences, the father's community of mainland escapees in Hong Kong remains closely connected. They gather regularly for dim sum, Ping-Pong sessions, and mah-jongg tournaments. However, the recent turmoil in Hong Kong has exposed a new fault line within this community.
Some, like Wu Hay-wing, a retired truck driver, have come to wholeheartedly cherish the political freedoms they found in Hong Kong. Unlike the father, Mr. Wu regularly joins the protests, fearing that Hong Kong will soon become just another mainland city.
“The essence of the Communist Party has never changed — it is a totalitarian regime,” said Mr. Wu, 68, who made it to Hong Kong in an improvised boat.
