Opinion | China broke its promises to Hong Kong. That’s why the protest movement is back with a vengeance

The expression “Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong”, which is still referred to in official documents as one of the principles underpinning the Basic Law, has almost completely fallen out of usage. Concurrently, one often hears from sources that the central government just wishes Hong Kong would get on with solving its own problems. Really?

Far from wanting Hong Kong to solve its own problems, let alone allowing Hong Kong people to rule Hong Kong, the central government seems to wish to interfere in all aspects of Hong Kong’s life and governance: it handpicks our chief executive; it determines who can or cannot serve on the Executive Council; it must approve all ministerial and senior civil service appointments; it blatantly interferes in Legislative Council and District Council elections; it handpicks Hong Kong representatives to the National People’s Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference from a narrow coterie; it determines who is politically reliable enough to serve on our myriad advisory bodies… I could go on.

It has been said housing is the fundamental issue hanging over the protests. It cannot be doubted that this is important to many people in Hong Kong, especially the young. However, I would suggest that the main issue driving the peaceful marches involving millions – perhaps the majority to whom housing is not an issue – is the increasing “mainlandisation” of Hong Kong.