There’s a David vs. Goliath story going on across the world: Hong Kong at 462 square miles vs. China at 3.705 million square miles.

After 150 years of Hong Kong being a British territory, Great Britain and China in 1984 signed the Joint Declaration making Hong Kong “one country two systems”;

Hong Kong would become a  Chinese territory and Communist-led country and keep  their own economic system and government for 50 years.

The Joint Declaration stated that Hong Kong would be handed back to China’s control, meaning that Hong Kong should have its own government and laws, but the problem is that Hong Kong doesn’t.

Britain agreed in 1997 that Hong Kong would develop an election system based on universal suffrage, causing another problem, which is Hong Kong citizens, can’t agree on how to vote.

Protest began when Beijing backed a bill that could decide Hong Kong’s future.

If the bill does not pass, Hong Kong citizens may never be able to vote for their own leaders.

If the bill does pass, Hong Kong can vote, but China must approve the candidates on the ballot.

Nick Bastian, social science teacher, said, “I believe that the Hong Kong government should self-govern and get China to butt out of Hong Kong, and let Hong Kong elect their own leaders. They need democracy for their government not communism.”

The majority of Hong Kong’s citizens want Hong Kong to be independent, resulting in protests known as Occupy Hong Kong or the Umbrella Movement.

It is known as this because students and citizens of Hong Kong held umbrellas during protests because of police spraying pepper spray at the protestors due to the riots.

Bastian said, “China needs to realize that Hong Kong has the right to protest, and they must allow it. Communists don’t handle protest; instead they just kill and attack the protestors.”

As of now, pro-democracy politicians have vetoed the bill multiple times, which will decide Hong Kong’s future for their laws and government.

He said, “Hong Kong needs to have their own leaders and officials , stay independent from China,  keep their own freedom, and keep democracy without joining the rest of China.”

Protests are still continuing in Hong Kong as students and citizens keep fighting for democracy and independence from China.