Political Persecution and Ideological Brainwashing: The CCP's Strategy to Undermine Hong Kong

On December 15, 2025, the verdict in the case of Hong Kong's former pro-democracy media tycoon Li Zhiying was announced. The image is a file photo. (Song Bilong / Dajiyuan)

[People News] In the lead-up to the book fair, the selective persecution by the Special Administrative Region (SAR) government resulted in two traditional second-floor bookstores being forced to close. The CCP's aggressive campaign against individual bookstores has become increasingly overt.

Recently, the CCP's garrison in Hong Kong hosted a military training program for university and college students during the summer. Reports indicate that five hundred students lived together in a military camp for 14 days, participating in the "19th Hong Kong Youth Military Summer Camp" and the "13th Hong Kong University Student Military Life Experience Camp," which have been running for nineteen and thirteen years, respectively.

The purpose of organizing military training for these students is to instill CCP ideology and enhance the organizational discipline and political obedience of the youth. The participants are likely to have been selected as future candidates for CCP development.

In another recent development, the Lingnan University Student Union announced its dissolution, citing "changes in the internal and external situation in recent years" as the primary reason. In July 2025, the Lingnan University administration publicly stated that the student union is an "external organization," emphasizing that it is not affiliated with the university and has not been authorized to operate on campus.

Faced with internal and external pressures, the Lingnan University Student Union could no longer continue its operations. It appears that among the eight publicly funded universities in Hong Kong, only the student unions of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and City University remain active. While a university without a student union may alleviate some challenges for the administration, for students preparing to navigate society and develop their personal identities, this situation can only be described as "unfortunate."

Since the introduction of the National Security Law, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has adopted its authoritarian tactics from the mainland and applied them to Hong Kong. This approach encompasses political persecution and ideological brainwashing. Politically, the CCP enforces a range of both formal and informal regulations on citizens who resist governance, subjecting dissenters to both overt and covert persecution. While all opposing forces are suppressed, with opposition members imprisoned, those who harbor free thoughts are also intimidated.

Regarding brainwashing, the methods employed are even more varied. In classrooms, media, and social activities, the CCP's ideology is incessantly propagated, while dissenting thoughts are attacked and silenced. Historical truths are distorted, freedom of thought is suppressed, and all discourse is integrated into the CCP's narrative framework.

The CCP demonstrates significant patience in its brainwashing initiatives, never expecting immediate outcomes. Instead, they focus on the youth, as the ideological beliefs of adults have already been shaped by Hong Kong's British political culture, making it challenging to alter their views. For adults, effective strategies include economic incentives and social promises. In contrast, the CCP is willing to invest ten to twenty years in transforming young people, patiently cultivating them over the long term, and ultimately finding ways to mold them into successors of communism.

In July, Roach, the former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, published a column titled 'Yes, the old Hong Kong has ended.' He noted that following the anti-extradition movement and the implementation of the National Security Law, Hong Kong has lost its previous status as an independent international financial center and has effectively become just another major city in China.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government has swiftly activated its rebuttal mechanism, mobilizing senior officials and all personnel from pro-communist media to strongly criticize Rocky's views. In reality, whether Hong Kong has changed is something that the people of Hong Kong can feel for themselves. The city is undergoing daily changes, and these changes are not improvements; rather, they are making life increasingly difficult and unbearable.

Any Hong Kong resident who takes a moment to reflect will recognize that even the first decade after the 1997 handover was vastly different from today's Hong Kong. While daily changes may not evoke strong feelings, looking back over ten or twenty years reveals that Hong Kong is no longer the place we once knew.

Twenty years ago, the Legislative Council was embroiled in arguments; today, members raise their hands in unison during meetings, and when they attend training in Beijing, they are required to wear matching ties and scarves. Two decades ago, Hong Kong's media landscape was vibrant, featuring a variety of publications such as Wen Wei Po, Apple Daily, and magazines like 'The 1990s' and 'Open.' The publishing industry enjoyed considerable freedom, allowing for the release of books that exposed historical truths and critiqued communist ideology. Student unions at major universities were also quite active, often spearheading social movements. Twenty years ago, it was common to hear government criticism in tea restaurants, with patrons simply laughing it off; today, such comments are considered taboo, and one might not find good food in those establishments.

Given all this, is there still a need to question whether Hong Kong has changed? Rocky's remarks are already quite restrained; only the people of Hong Kong truly experience these changes in a profound and painful way.

Many who seek to ingratiate themselves with those in power enjoy both fame and fortune, celebrating their success; many who hold onto their values endure significant hardships; many adults have either left or chosen silence; and many young people are being unwittingly brainwashed, gradually being transformed.

When Pang Ding-kang left Hong Kong years ago, he remarked that Hong Kong's autonomy would gradually be undermined by certain individuals within the city. His foresight has proven accurate. Recently, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung criticized the Journalists Association for election irregularities, bluntly stating, 'I will definitely nail you down, and you will bear the consequences.' Tang Ping-keung, a mere martial artist, would not have such authority today if he had not sold out to the Communist Party. Would he have dared to speak so arrogantly twenty years ago?

Professor Liu Zhi-peng from the History Department of Lingnan University has achieved fame and success by altering the 'Hong Kong Story' according to the directives of the Communist Party. Today, he holds the prestigious position of a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Liu Zhi-peng, a mere literary figure, would not have attained such 'status' without aligning with the Communist Party. With the disbandment of the Lingnan University Student Union, he must have played a significant role in that outcome.

Twenty years ago, at a banquet, I engaged in a debate about the essence of 'one country, two systems.' Unable to convince my opponent, I posed a question: Do you hope that the future mainland will resemble today's Hong Kong, or do you wish for the future Hong Kong to resemble today's mainland? The individual appeared embarrassed and could only respond that no one wishes for Hong Kong to become like the mainland.

If I were to pose the same question to Tang Ping-keung and Liu Zhi-peng today, their answer would undoubtedly be the latter. The quicker Hong Kong transforms to resemble the mainland, the more benefits they will gain. The Communist Party's violent repression and ideological indoctrination depend on these individuals. We must remember their names; one day, we will also 'nail them down,' and they will have to face the consequences of their actions today!

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