Film Review: Joshua Wong and Social Movements in Hong Kong

His body is thin, not too tall, wears thick glasses, and his hobby is playing video games. At first glance, Joshua Wong looks like most students in Hong Kong. However, in fact he is not the same. What makes this man with the real name Wong Chi-Fung different is the courage he has. Joshua Wong, since the age of 14 has shown his toughness in opposing Beijing's power in Hong Kong. When other teenagers his age were busy spending their summer holidays playing, Joshua chose to lead Scholarism, a social movement protesting the government's plan to implement the National and Moral Education (NME) program.

The story of Joshua becoming the initiator and leader of Scholarism, then the young man's involvement in a series of other protests in Hong Kong is told beautifully by director Joe Piscatella through a documentary entitled 'Joshua Wong: Teenager vs. Superpower'. This Netflix film, which was launched in 2017, also provides viewers with an overview of the early development of the social movement in Hong Kong. It can be said that the social movement in Hong Kong would not have developed as massively as it is today without Joshua's presence.

There are two major social movements highlighted in this film, namely Scholarism and the Umbrella Movement. Scholarism is a social movement initiated by Joshua in 2012. Through this movement, Joshua invited students in Hong Kong to oppose the government's plan to implement the National and Moral Education program. The program essentially requires every school to teach nationalism and obedience to the Chinese Communist Party. This program was launched because the government considered the young generation of Hong Kong to be unpatriotic and also disloyal. For Joshua, the program is the same as brainwashing the young generation of Hong Kong.

This film tells how Joshua invites students one by one to join in the most old-school way; campaigning on the streets, to utilizing internet technology. In approximately 6 months Joshua was able to gather masses ranging from tens, hundreds, to thousands. The peak of the scholarism action occurred a few days before the brainwashing program was implemented. Thousands of people demonstrated by setting up tents and staying overnight in the east yard of the central government office or better known as civic square. They shouted asking the government to stop the program. Finally, after several days filling civic square, Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung decided to grant the demonstrators' request and the national education program would be discussed again.

Scholarism became the first social movement in Hong Kong to successfully pressure the Beijing government since 1997, precisely after Britain handed over power over Hong Kong back to China. Under Chinese rule, Hong Kong was given the authority to implement a one country, two systems government system. This means that Hong Kong is still allowed to govern its own country even though it remains under one roof of government with China. The concept of one country, two systems is almost similar to regional autonomy in Indonesia, Hong Kong is given the authority to govern in three territories, namely the executive, legislative, and judiciary. However, government control for foreign policy and defense is under Chinese control.

Therefore, although Hong Kong and China are one country, they have different systems. Hong Kong has its own head of state and parliament. Hong Kong also has a different flag, currency, and passport from China. Hong Kong citizens also have privileges that Chinese citizens do not have, namely freedom of speech and protest.

The one country, two systems policy promised by China will be in effect for 50 years since 1997. This means that Hong Kong will only become fully under Chinese rule in 2047. As if the promise was not fulfilled, the Chinese government is increasingly showing its power in Hong Kong. For example, since 1997 Hong Kong has never held an election. The leader in Hong Kong is determined based on the choice of the Chinese government.

Scholarism's success seemed to inspire and raise the spirit of the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. In 2014, a second social movement emerged that was told in this film, namely the Umbrella Movement. This movement was initiated by Hong Kong businessman, Benny Tai. Benny then joined Joshua who also brought hundreds of students who were members of Scholarism. The demonstration was called the umbrella movement because the protesters used umbrellas to protect themselves from tear gas fired by security forces. The umbrella movement demanded that the government provide voting rights, namely the opportunity for Hong Kong citizens to determine their own leaders through elections.

The Umbrella movement demonstrated by staying overnight on three main roads in the city center. The demonstration, which was attended by thousands of participants and carried out continuously, succeeded in sluggish the Hong Kong economy. This is because many shopping centers were unable to operate because the streets were crowded with demonstrators. Unfortunately, the action that lasted for 79 consecutive days did not produce the desired results. The Hong Kong government did not provide full voting rights as requested, but the government provided limited rights. Hong Kong citizens are allowed to choose their own leaders in the election, but the candidate leaders who are entitled to participate in the contest must be based on the choice of the Beijing government.

The failure of the umbrella movement is one example of how people power does not always work to pressure the government. Victoria Hui (2015) assessed that the action of staying overnight on the streets in the city center carried out by the umbrella movement masses was not effective in pressuring the Hong Kong government. This method will only disrupt daily activities in shopping centers and the economy, not the coalition that controls the Hong Kong government. According to her, this method actually benefits the government because the business elites who play a role in Hong Kong politics will support the government to stop the demonstrators' actions.

Despite the failure of the umbrella movement, the social movement in Hong Kong deserves a thumbs up. Sholarism, the umbrella movement, and the pro-democracy movement that is currently taking place massively in Hong Kong are known as very disciplined and orderly social movements. Demonstrators who take part in the demonstration all participate according to their capabilities, for example, demonstrators who work as doctors and nurses will serve as first aid teams, teachers and professors will open teaching and learning sessions, students will help high school students with their homework and so on. The demonstrators are also always ready by bringing their own umbrellas, masks, helmets, tents, and food. This independence makes the social movement in Hong Kong referred to as self-organizing civil society.

The film itself ends with Joshua's decision to disband scholarism in 2016. He and his two friends, Nathan Law and Agnes Chow, decided to establish the Demosisto Party. They realized that bringing democracy to Hong Kong could not be done only by relying on 'street' methods, but had to enter the system. In that year, Nathan Law as an anti-China activist managed to win votes to enter parliament.

There is one important message that this film wants to convey, namely that young people have an important role in determining the democratic process in a country. This film seeks to make other young generations aware that their voices and actions can produce significant change. What Joshua and hundreds of other students in Hong Kong did also broke the stigma that today's young generation is an apathetic and lazy generation.

I am also one of those who were inspired by Joshua. I still remember in mid-2019, I had the opportunity to interview Joshua by phone and asked him directly if he was not afraid to fight the Chinese government. At that time, Joshua and hundreds of other Hong Kong residents were actively demonstrating against the government's plan to implement the Extradition Law in Hong Kong. This bill allows criminals in Hong Kong to be punished in China. Almost every week, Joshua and hundreds of other pro-democracy masses held demonstrations to oppose the plan.

Joshua answered my question casually, his voice rather flat. He said he was not afraid at all and would continue his resistance until his wish came true, namely that Hong Kong would become a country that was free to determine its own future. Joshua also conveyed to me the exact same sentence as he said in the film, “Young people must realize that even though you are just a student, not yet graduated from school or college, if you want, then you can make a change in society.”

References

Hui, Victoria Tin-bor. 2015. “Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement: The Protest and Beyond”. Journal of Democracy, Volume 26, Number 2, April 2015. John Hopkins University Press.