Narrating ‘invasion’ and participation: Anti-mainland Chinese campaigns in postcolonial Hong Kong

Abstract

This paper reflects on the recent surge of protests in Hong Kong against a ‘Mainland Chinese invasion,’ the influx of Chinese visitors perceived to be taking over Hong Kong’s resources and threatening to diminish the ‘quality of life’ of its citizens. Although economic integration between Hong Kong and China has been accelerating in the postcolonial period, the gulf separating citizens of the two territories has recently been widening. While much of the resentment toward ‘outsiders’ is rooted in specific urban issues (such as the escalation of housing prices due to property speculation by Mainland investors, and the shortage of hospital beds resulting from Mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong), it is expressed in an increasingly discriminatory language. These tensions were epitomized in a recent advertising campaign that portrays Mainlanders as locusts invading the city, leading to ‘the end of Hong Kong.’ This paper explores these narratives of ‘invasion’ by focusing on several grassroots-led campaigns calling for greater participation of Hong Kong citizens in urban planning processes to defend their ‘collective interests.’ By connecting these narratives with historic discourses of the city, this paper elucidates the evolving self-identity of Hong Kong citizens amidst ongoing economic development and socio-political change.