Hong Kong Pre-Trip Paper

Jeanny Le
IND-210
Dr. Eric Hung & Dr. Shunzhu Wang
Hong Kong Pre-Trip Paper


Ever since Hong Kong established the Special Administrative Region (SAR), it has affected many different outlooks of the Hong Kong culture. One specific outlook that was affected were the Hong Kong women. It was July 1, 1997 when Hong Kong was handed over by the British Administration. The people of Hong Kong now have the control to rule their own country instead of the Britain. It was a very significant day where there was the “rising national flag, the exciting tune of the national anthem, and the guard of honor of the People’s Liberation army” (p. 1, Hong Kong women more confident in a decade). Peggy Lam, who is the chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Women said that after the establishment of the SAR, there is a prosperous outlook for future Hong Kong women in a society that used to be male-dominated. Peggy says that confidence is increasing within Hong Kong women, “which is apparently shown in the past ten years through their increasing participation in public affairs, capable management of transnationals, and large share in government leadership” (p. 1, Hong Kong women more confident in a decade). Since the SAR was established, there were many very significant achievements which included increasing independence and freedom, powerful economy and development, and the implementation of the principal “one country, two systems”. According to Peggy Lam, “the past decade since Hong Kong's return to the motherland is also a mirror of Hong Kong women's progress in pursuing both professional and social development” (p. 1, Hong Kong women more confident in a decade). Women are beginning to show significant leadership roles within the workforce as managers and administrators. Another powerful factor from the establishment of SAR is the government’s role in helping women become more confident. The government is making it a priority to get rid of “all forms of discrimination in employment, such as sex, marital status, pregnancy and family status. As a result, more women have assumed leadership positions in the government.” (p. 1, Hong Kong women more confident in a decade)

Today, Hong Kong women are doing very well compared to the Mainland women. “The figure ‘Mainland woman’ was integral to the subject formation of these Hong Kong women and to the post colonial identity of Hong Kong as distinct from China after national reunification” (p. 263, Wong). Hong Kong women resist the “domination of the Chinese government upon reunification” (p. 261, Wong) whereas the Mainland women became a symbol of oppression in China. For example, a woman named Ming-kit, was “one of the very few Hong Kong women entrepreneurs who entered Mainland markets in the early 1980s” (p. 267, Wong). She was not taken seriously in China because of her sex. This is because women in China have a low status because of lack of education. Therefore, Ming-kit “took up the sponsorship of girls’ education to uplift Mainland women” (p.267, Wong). Hong Kong women fluctuate between agent and victim, depending on who they are compared with. “Within the context of the Chinese society of Hong Kong, when compared with those living in the West, they become victims. But when positioned in relation to their Asian counterparts, including Mainland women, they become agents capable of advance” (p. 271, Wong). Hong Kong women are extremely active in creating and organizing women’s projects in China to help give women more rights. These Hong Kong women “are rich sources for illuminating how subjectivities are simultaneously shaped by and [they] help to shape historical, structural, and cultural processes in the society in which they are situated.” (p. 261, Wong) Ming-kit believes that women can take the lead to make relationships grow closer and “first mobilize [people] together to solve problems.” (p. 266, Wong)

I’ve always wanted to travel to Asia but haven’t had the chance to until this course was available. I think this is a great opportunity to travel to Asia and experience the different cultures. I love to travel and learn first-hand about people in different parts of the world and their culture. While I’m on this global encounter to Hong Kong, I would like to make it a priority to learn about women’s role in society. I want to observe how women play a role in the economy and society. How are women treated in Hong Kong? Are women taking on more leadership roles than the men? If so, how do they behave in their leadership roles compared to women in United States? I want to analyze different angles of Hong Kong women compared to the United States women. For example, as a former waitress, I knew that it was traditional etiquette to serve the woman at a table before the man. However, I am curious if in Hong Kong, the man is served before the woman at the table. If this is the case, then I want to further research if this is due to superiority as in man is superior to the woman. This is just one of many investigations I will perform while I am in Hong Kong. I am very interesting in what I will observe and am looking forward to this fun-filled amazing adventure!


Works Cited:

"Hong Kong women more confident in a decade." People's Daily Online--Hong Kong women more confident in a decade. 2 June 2007. 3 Jan. 2009.

Wong, Yuk-Lin Renita. "Nation, Colony, and Hong Kong Women's Subjectivities in Gender and China Development." JSTOR 2nd ser. 30 (2004): 259-92. Apr. 2004. 3 Jan. 2009 .