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October 2019 – Hong Kong protests

On Monday, 7th October, the Sylvans debated the motion:

This House believes that the UK government should give full support to the Hong Kong protesters.

It was proposed by Thomas Warner and opposed by Mike Douse.

The proposer outlined the situation in Hong Kong and made specific reference to the 1997 agreement between the UK and China, which outlines the agreed ‘one country, two systems’ approach.  He then catalogued a number of areas where China has gone past the spirit of the agreement, reducing the rights of Hong Kongers.  He also pre-emptively addressed the notion that the UK government would be hypocritical to support the protesters, when during the period of UK control Hong Kongers did not have full democratic rights.

The opposer centred his arguments around this notion of hypocrisy, naming a range of atrocities committed under the banner of the British Empire, and in particular the conditions in Hong Kong, which was a prize won through the exploitative Opium Wars.  He pointed out that even today, Hong Kong police equipment is supplied by a British firm, underscoring the conflict that the UK has in disturbing its commercial relationship with China, in light of Brexit and the global trade situation.

Floor speakers covered a range of angles on the situation, including a speech from a member of the actual Hong Kong protest group, who made an impassioned plea for support from the UK government.  Several strong arguments were put forth suggesting that while the UK government might be hypocritical if it supported the protesters, it would still be the right thing to do.

In the final vote, the motion carried.

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