Political Censorship in British Hong Kong: Freedom of Expression and the Law (1842-1997)

Michael Ng's book challenges the narrative that freedom of expression in Hong Kong is a legacy of British rule of law, revealing that the media and schools were censored for much of the colonial period and only liberated at a late stage. He shows that Britain's China strategy shaped Hong Kong's legal history, with freedoms drifting along waves of change in global politics.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 04 August 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Based on extensive archival research, Michael Ng presents a compelling argument that challenges the widely held notion that freedom of expression in Hong Kong is solely a legacy of British rule of law. Through his meticulous analysis, Ng reveals that the media and educational institutions in Hong Kong were subject to pervasive censorship for a significant portion of the colonial era, only experiencing a limited degree of liberation towards the end of British rule. This book not only complicates our understanding of how Hong Kong emerged as a bastion of free speech by the late 1990s but also sheds light on the intricate interplay between Britain's China strategy and the development of Hong Kong's legal history.

Ng employs a wealth of primary sources to substantiate his claims, providing a rich and detailed account of the historical context. He demonstrates that the free press, freedom of speech, and judicial independence in Hong Kong were not merely the result of British influence but rather the products of a more complex web of factors influenced by Britain's interactions with other world powers. From the nineteenth to the twentieth century, Hong Kong's legal landscape was shaped by the shifting dynamics of global politics, with Hong Kong's freedoms oscillating in response to changing international relations.

This book offers a fresh and insightful perspective on the British legal regime in Hong Kong. By examining the historical trajectory of Hong Kong's freedoms, Ng challenges the notion that they were always safeguarded and protected under British rule. Instead, he shows that they were subject to fluctuations and were shaped by the broader geopolitical context. Ng's work contributes to our understanding of the complex and multifaceted history of Hong Kong and provides valuable insights into the ongoing struggle for freedom of expression in the region.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 159 x 234 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108830027