Democracy in Hong Kong: A Challenging Road Ahead

For months the citizens of Hong Kong have been taking to the streets, protesting democratic deterioration and rights violations. There have been frequent clashes with police, outbreaks of violence and widespread disruption to the city. As the new year begins the movement shows little sign of relenting, and while it has had some success it would take serious changes in mainland China for broader demands to be considered. While many democracies have voiced support for the movement, even more have remained silent, wary of the damaging accusations of meddling or drawing the ire of Beijing. So what are the demands of the protest movement? What is a likely future for Hong Kong’s democratic movement, and what does it mean for both the island and mainland China? In this La Trobe Asia public event, an expert panel will consider the future and potential of Hong Kong’s democratic movement. Panel: Sophie McNeill (Reporter, 4 Corners, ABC) Dr Kevin Carrico (Senior lecturer, Chinese Studies, Monash University) Yun Jiang (co-editor of China Neican) Associate Professor James Leibold (Head of the Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy, La Trobe University) (Chair) Recorded at State Library of Victoria on 18 February 2020.