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Macao students in Hong Kong

The 2019 Hong Kong protests, also known as the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill (ELAB) Movement, has been going on for more than four months. The demonstrations have not stopped but even "blossomed". Hong Kong and Macao are only separated by the sea, however, in the face of the struggle on the adjacent shore, the physical distance seems close, but the atmosphere seems far different.

In September, at the beginning of the new academic year, Hong Kong's secondary schools and universities both organized a series of strike actions to continue the ELAB movement. For a group of Macao people who are studying in Hong Kong, they may not be able to stay away from the impact of the movement in Hong Kong. What do they think of the struggle? How do they act as a Macao student and think about Macao's future?

Mandy Fong, is a 17-year-old student from Macao. She has just arrived in Hong Kong for the first year student of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). For the recent ELAB movement in Hong Kong, "I believe I know a little more than other Macao people," she said. Mandy speaks methodically and has her own set of ideas about politics, unlike a person who is not yet an adult.

When she first arrived in Hong Kong, Mandy felt the impact, which she described as an unprecedented feeling before she came to Hong Kong. "When you are at CUHK, you can see slogans surrounded everywhere. When you come to Hong Kong and shout out slogans personally, you will find it totally different from you supporting it online in Macao. "

Mandy pointed out that the biggest difference between Hong Kong and Macao is that they cannot get a response when they talk about political matters in Macao. "It's very common to talk about politics in daily life in Hong Kong because everyone thinks this is worthy of concern." However, "This situation will not happen in Macao," Mandy said.

She believed that Macao people advocate hedonism, it is difficult to give up the benefits in front of them and pursue something unseen. "When we were growing up, no one told us that freedom and democracy were very important to us. No one told us that rights had been taken away and we should take them back," Mandy said.

"If we don't care, who cares for us?" Mandy asked.

In the middle of August, Macao police denied three citizens' appeal for holding a peaceful silent rally against the "police brutality" in Hong Kong, saying the rally would interfere in the recent Hong Kong affairs and may stir up Macao people's emotions. Local sentiment against this sort of rally was prevalent. Recalling the time when it has been too much publicity about the Macao resistance, all of Mandy's friends or relatives were sharing the poster of the rally with a big red word "Resistance" on her WeChat moment, and someone also wrote something like "Defending our family and home".

"But in fact, do they really know about this thing? Maybe people who shared the poster didn't even know about 'the five demands' Hong Kong people asked for, and things about 'Extradition Bill'," Mandy sighed and shook her head. She felt that Macao people are being fooled and abandoning their own rights.

Many Macao people who pursue their education or career in Hong Kong would rather stay in Hong Kong than go back to Macao for the benefits of the political environment and international opportunities. However, Mandy said she would not do this.

"There are thousands and millions of people are fighting for Hong Kong. How about Macao? How many people would fight for it? ...Lots of people would like to stay in Hong Kong, and that is exactly the reason why I have to go back to here," Mandy said very determinedly, at least for this moment.

By contrast, Alice Siu, a 21-years-old student, exhibits another attitude. Alice was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Macao. She is a year 4 student at the CUHK.

"I participated in the 'Two millions demonstrations'. There were the elderlies, youths and also families. The sun was so high in the sky. Everyone was sweating. And when you saw the shopping mall nearby, some people were having their tea so comfortably. You will start to think 'What makes them march on here?'"

Alice recalled the time after a million people march on the street, the government announced the bill was still scheduled for the second reading at parliament. Lots of protestors gathered to surround the Legislative Council at the night of June 12. After the disperse of the protestors by the police, the government suspended the bill.

"I was thinking, what if they (the protesters) did not go to the front line and using their 'bodies' to stop the bill, then the bill would be approved already."

On September 4, Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of HK SAR government announced that the extradition bill would be withdrawn, protestors stated that it had been too late.

Alice believed that if a government actually represents citizens, the government can be established, which is the essence of politics. When a large group of people is against a bill, their appeal cannot be ignored. "When two million people marched on the streets and complained, they should consider withdrawing it, but it did after three months."

Alice is a holder of both Macao and Hong Kong identity cards. "Hong Kong is not my only destination, therefore to some extent, I didn't really need to fight for it so desperate."

And she knows clearly that there will be no similar demonstrations situation in Macao. She recalled that in the failed rally against Hong Kong's police in Macao, her secondary school classmates would leave a message in WeChat moment, "Don't mess Macao up!"

She lamented that most Macao people would like to get the information from the mainstream media of Hong Kong, some of the mainstream media would broadcast "thugs" were destroying the order and tranquility. "Macao is a city so easygoing. Macao people are more concerned with the most direct benefits and the most immediate interests."

Alice said about the development of democracy in Macao with a smile: "If it means the kind of democracy that one person, one vote, to choose the chief executive, it would be less likely to happen."