<![CDATA[How the Hong Kong protests affected overseas Chinese in Asia and beyond]>

When the Hong Kong protest movement started in early June with massive and largely peaceful rallies against the now-withdrawn extradition bill, there were largely positive reactions from many countries in the region and further afield.

The Hong Kong diaspora has largely remained supportive of the movement, while the views of other overseas Chinese shifted as the protests became violent and the police response became more heavy-handed.

Mainland Chinese citizens overseas have faced growing anti-China sentiment, with Beijing criticised for encroaching on Hong Kong's freedoms and detaining Uygur Muslims in China's westernmost province in Xinjiang.

We look back at some of our stories on the impact the Hong Kong protests have had on Chinese overseas.

CAMPUS CLASHES

Hong Kong and mainland Chinese students clash during a pro-democracy protest at the university of Queensland in Australia. Photo: Twitter alt=Hong Kong and mainland Chinese students clash during a pro-democracy protest at the university of Queensland in Australia. Photo: Twitter

The estimated 1.5 million Chinese students studying at campuses around the world faced increased scrutiny as the protests in Hong Kong garnered international attention, especially when they defended Beijing's policies.

From Australia to New Zealand, Canada and South Korea, mainland students clashed with groups expressing support for the anti-government protesters in Hong Kong, while so-called Lennon Walls were vandalised.

In July, there were scuffles at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, when Hong Kong students clashed with mainland students during a pro-democracy protest. The university also came under fire when it appointed a serving Chinese diplomat as a visiting professor, as fears over Chinese influence at Australian universities escalated.

The next month, a Lennon Wall on the campus was torn down by a group of four masked people, prompting a stern statement from the university condemning actions that prevent free speech.

More recently, South Korean students have complained about being the victims of cyberbullying and doxxing in response to their support for Hong Kong protesters. And as the protests continue, many mainland and foreign students in Hong Kong had to weigh up staying in the city as universities became battlegrounds, with many fleeing or being ready to leave at short notice.

DIVIDED COMMUNITIES

Several Chinese students who spoke to This Week in Asia, especially those who are apolitical, said they had tried to avoid engaging others on the issue, but increasingly felt like they were being forced to pick sides. "You are either pro-democracy, pro-human rights, or you are pro-China. They are putting us in this awkward position. We cannot say we are anti-China because we are from China," one student said.

At the same time, Hongkongers studying in places like Australia and Canada faced harassment and threats initiated by pro-Beijing students when they attended pro-democracy protests or politically sensitive events.

The divide was not just felt on campuses. In Canada, Vancouver's community of over 400,000 ethnic Chinese residents became split on the topic, with more recent immigrants having a very different take on the situation to those who arrived after Beijing's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

It all played out in newspaper letters and advertisements, with 208 Canadian Chinese groups in July jointly signing ads in Chinese-language newspapers in Canada denouncing the "radical" Hong Kong protesters. Some may have had links to the Chinese government's "United Front", which aims to influence the Chinese diaspora.

One pro-Beijing Chinese Canadian felt the need to make his voice heard, and shouted out "Shame on losers" during a pro-Hong Kong democracy protest near Vancouver in October, with the incident going viral on social media.

Protesters supporting Hong Kong's anti-government demonstrations make their feelings known in Vancouver last weekend. Photo: AFP alt=Protesters supporting Hong Kong's anti-government demonstrations make their feelings known in Vancouver last weekend. Photo: AFP

LOCAL IMPACT

With its sizeable Chinese community, it's not surprising that the Hong Kong protests cropped up in Canada's federal election campaign in October, especially after a ruling that Canadians living outside the country could vote.

However, only a fraction of the estimated 300,000 Canadians living in Hong Kong registered, and political candidates in Canada largely steered clear of the topic, fearing alienating one camp or another " especially the estimated 650,000 Canadian voters born in the mainland.

That did not stop one Hong Kong-Canadian from spending her time lobbying the six parties contesting the elections to commit to the five demands of the protesters, however.

In Singapore, pro-establishment Hong Kong restaurateur Alex Yeung was sent home by authorities after organising a public gathering without a permit.

Footage from the October event, during which people discussed the unrest in Hong Kong, showed Yeung, the founder of the Wah Kee restaurant chain, criticising protesters for undermining China's sovereignty.

"Singapore has always been clear that foreigners should not advocate their political causes, through public assemblies, and other prohibited means," the police said, adding that Yeung would not be allowed to enter the country in future without permission from immigration authorities.

A police officer fires his tear gas launcher during a clash with student protesters in Bandung, Indonesia in September 2019. Photo: AP alt=A police officer fires his tear gas launcher during a clash with student protesters in Bandung, Indonesia in September 2019. Photo: AP

COMPARISONS WITH OTHER PROTESTS

Hong Kong's protests also featured in other anti-government movements. In September, thousands of Indonesians took to the streets to protest against the government's proposed legislative changes, which critics said would restrict free speech and discriminate against women and minorities. The clashes with police became violent, and tear gas and water cannons were used to disperse protesters " two of whom died, while more than 250 were injured.

Comparisons were soon made with the Hong Kong protests, especially on social media. One news portal carried a video explaining how Hong Kong protesters neutralised tear gas canisters using traffic cones, and a respected newspaper published a piece on how to handle being tear gassed.

More recently, protests have flared up in India over the government's controversial new citizenship law, which would grant citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

A social media campaign soon started in solidarity with the mostly students who were assaulted while protesting against the law, taking lessons from other such movements such as the Hong Kong protests. One of the first things they did was download the Bridgefy app, which allowed them to communicate with each other via Bluetooth, amid rumours that mobile and internet connections would be shut down.

This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Copyright (c) 2019. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.