Hong Kong's political unrest since 2019 has led to the imposition of a national security law last year and the recent revamping of its electoral system by the central government. International sentiments have turned gloomy about the city's future, with the US ending the special treatment previously accorded to it as different from the rest of China under the 1992 Hong Kong Policy Act, claiming it is on a path towards 'One Country One System'.
Apart from Western scepticism and boycotts, and Beijing's distrust, Hong Kong has also found itself in uncertain waters in national integration (in particular Greater Bay Area integration). With Shenzhen fast catching up with the city economically, some wonder if the once much-acclaimed metropolis will now come to see its demise. Can Hong Kong still thrive as a global city within a growingly volatile geopolitical environment defined by US-China conflict, or will it have to be resigned to becoming just another city of China?
