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BORDER TERROR
BORDER TERROR

even months after one million ow of China. We try to understand the authority requesting Cathay Pacific to
people took to the streets of deep-rooted anxiety among many in ban all employees who supported or
SHong Kong against the now- Hong Kong and how it finds an echo took part in the recent protests from
withdrawn extradition bill, protesters in the ongoing political turmoil. flying over China’s airspace. Over 30
show no sign of backing down from Since June, Hong Kong people Cathay employees have lost their jobs
their fight for democratic reform and have reported being intercepted by for expressing sympathy for Hong
resistance to Beijing’s tightening con- immigration officers when entering Kong protesters on social media. We
trol over the city. the Mainland. They were asked to speak with former Cathay employees
Hong Kong people’s chronic mis- unlock their cell phones. Once any and labour activists on how the cli-
trust and fear of the authoritarian “politically sensitive” materials were mate of fear is changing the way peo-
Chinese government are deepened by found, they would face detention at ple do business and work in the city
a series of events taking place during the checkpoint. We reach out to trav- crowned as the world’s freest econo-
the months-long protest movement. ellers and tour organisers to learn my.
Employees who showed support for about their experiences, worries and This issue of Varsity also features a
pro-democracy protests were fired by how the searches interfere with their wide range of stories – from the stress
companies with business operations travel plans. of toddlers to end-of-life treatment,
in China. A British consulate worker The fear of phone checks and in- and from community screenings to
was detained for 15 days on a trip to terrogation also haunts Hong Kong the profile of designer Kevin Cheung
Shenzhen and said he was tortured by students who are required to have les- Wai-chun. We also explore the charms
Mainland authorities. China’s top leg- sons or internship training in China. of Japanese repairing art Kintsugi and
islative body said Hong Kong courts Out of concerns for personal safety as a creative local residence. Enjoy the
have no right to rule the constitution- well as growing tensions between the read!
ality of the city’s laws. city and China, students are trying to
Hong Kong people are fearful of distance themselves from the Main-
losing their freedoms and being fully land. We talk to students and teach-
integrated with the Chinese main- ers to hear about the debate over the
land, which has driven hundreds of necessity of universities having joint
thousands to join the protests for the study programmes with China’s edu-
past half a year. cational institutions.
Our Periscope section sheds light Hong Kong’s business sector also
on the city’s sentiment of fear and its comes under pressure from Beijing. Gloria Li
trembling autonomy under the shad- A striking example is China’s aviation Managing Editor

Varsity Magazine, Issue 154, February 2020
Editorial Office School of Journalism and Communication, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, N. T., Hong Kong.
Contacts Telephone: 3943 7680 Fax: 2603 5007 Email: varsity@cuhk.edu.hk
Printer Regal Printing Limited, 11/F, Wyler Centre Phase 2, 192-200 Tai Lin Pai Road, Kwai Chung, N. T., Hong Kong