The Status of Hong Kong and Macau in Relation to the Republic of China:
Could It Be a Role Model for Manipur?

JC Sanasam *

Hong Kong - July 2009 :: Pix - Nelson Elangbam

It will be only a pipe dream to fantasize Manipur to become like Hong Kong or Macau. Such an imagination will not materialize even in a given span of 100 to 200 years to come, in terms of development and modernity.

However, there are certain parallel points of political similitude in their respective histories between the status of Manipur in respect to India and that of Hong Kong and Macau in respect to China. Hong Kong and Macau being the original parts of the age old Chinese empire whereas Manipur was never a part of India before the so called merger agreement; some difference is there, no doubt.

Canton, the original name of Hong Kong, a part of the Chinese empire, opened to foreign traders in 1685. The British, more or less, became the colonial rulers of Hong Kong for more than 300 years; Britain leased the territories of Hong Kong and Kowloon Peninsula for 99 years beginning in the year 1898 and the lease ran out on June 30, 1997; thereafter its return and final hand over from Britain to China took place on July 1, 1997.

Hong Kong, the world's first original International City, what country is it in? The answer is not as simple as it may seem. Hailing the idea of 'one country, two systems,' China promised to permit Hong Kong a good deal of freedom, especially in financial matters for another 50 years till 2047, a time period to prepare itself and its populace inevitably to choose for a final merge in the Republic of China perhaps.

Of course, India did not give such an opportunity to Manipur and its people to prepare and choose. It was rather a crude procedure how India abruptly got Manipur merged in the former. The then leaders of Manipur and a good number of their followers might have welcomed the notion; but now it can be plainly seen that there are a lot more who whine and curse murmurs on the cruel reality of Manipur now as part of India.

Cantonese speaking Hong Kong people and Mandarin speaking Chinese are alike in many ways on the larger areas than less; yet the Chinese authorities respect the dignity of the Cantonese giving them ample time to decide for themselves.

The Manipuris in that way are far far different from the Indian mainland people in all respects except for the borrowed religion and some aspects of ritual culture of larger section of the ethnic Meiteis in the central valley. To tie up different strokes of people on the basis of religion is never lasting.

Hong Kong still has its own money (the currency is the HK Dollar), its own passport and legal system; Hong Kong is not yet quite Chinese. Yet, Chinese flags fly on its high rise buildings and Beijing appoints its CEO (Chief Executive Officer) from among the local population. Naturally, he or she has to be loyal to the Chinese authorities. Earlier, Britain used to appoint a governor.

Which one is better, a CEO in Hong Kong or a Chief Minister in Manipur? Status wise the Chief Minister might be of a higher position; but the power, performance and independence of the CEO in Hong Kong is much much more than what the Chief Minister sways in Manipur.

Visitors to Hong Kong (a place of visa free access) will have to acquire a separate visa to visit Chinese Mainland. Chinese nationals also require permits to visit Hong Kong. Hong Kong and China maintain some kind of border line laws and China maintains sort of a quasi embassy in Hong Kong via the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Chinese Reminibi (RMB), the Yuan currency of China, is not openly accepted in Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Dollar is not a legal tender in China. Hong Kong has its own passport, the HKSAR passport.

The situation likewise is the same in Macau, the other Special Administrative Area of the Republic of China. It was a Portuguese colony, the first and last European colony in China. Macau had its hand over from the Portuguese to the Republic of China only on December 20, 2012.

China presented the Golden Lotus to the Portuguese for this occasion and this gift is still standing there with the dual flags of China and Portugal flying beside this relic on a national park.

For Macau too, another 50 years, till 2049, is granted with clean cut autonomy, a separate legal system and everything else as was done in the case of Hong Kong. Macau, with its Venetia, an exact replica of Las Vegas Casino, still retains the name of 'Las Vegas of the East.'

The government of India definitely will cast an eye-sore if Manipur undergoes strife in the line to be maintained as China does in respect of Hong Kong or Macau. After all, it is expected that China after these 50 years will decidedly get Hong Kong and Macau merged in the Chinese Mainland.

However, if Manipur is reverted to such a position, as Hong Kong and Macau are now in, it can draw the attention of international political intellectuals more easily with free access; and thus, a better justice in the eyes of international law can then be ushered in without much friction and bridle.