Hong Kong protests

Newly elected Chief Executive Carrie Lam arrives to meet current leader Leung Chun-ying in Hong Kong on March 27.

Hong Kong picked its first female leader, but critics worry she's too close to Beijing

Carrie Lam was selected as the new chief executive on Sunday by a committee dominated by pro-China voters — the first woman picked to govern Hong Kong. Now police are cracking down on democracy activists.

Hong Kong picked its first female leader, but critics worry she's too close to Beijing
Hong Kong police baton-charged and pepper-sprayed thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators in the early hours of December 1, 2014. The protesters were trying to encircle government headquarters, defying orders to retreat after more than two months of prot

Hong Kong student protest leaders announce a hunger strike

Hong Kong student protest leaders announce a hunger strike
Many protesters say their pro-democracy campaign is neither a revolution nor about "defeating" Beijing. But for Hong Kongers, issues of national identity and their relationship with China are still complicated.

Hong Kongers battle for their identity as well as their political rights

Hong Kongers battle for their identity as well as their political rights
The 82 year-old Cardinal Joseph Zen (center) is the former head of the Roman Catholic Church in Hong Kong and a supporter of the student-led pro-democracy campaign in the Chinese territory.

Christians take a prominent role in Hong Kong protests

Christians take a prominent role in Hong Kong protests
Leung Kwok-hung – aka “Long Hair” (on left) – was among a small group of protesters keeping vigil outside the office of Hong Kong’s chief executive on Monday morning.

A veteran Hong Kong protest leader says this isn't a revolution — yet

A veteran Hong Kong protest leader says this isn't a revolution — yet
Two signs (left and center) ask protestors to patronize independent stores who've been impacted by the street closures. "Mommy, don't worry about me," says the sign on the right. "Today I found out what the world is like."

Hong Kong's protests are less 'occupy' and more 'take back our city,' says one couple

Charlie Schroeder and his wife, native Hong Konger Wendy Mok, moved back to the city two years ago. Now that protests are jamming the streets, they see the pent-up frustrations of many young Hong Kongers being expressed, hoping to make China pay attention to their concerns.

Hong Kong's protests are less 'occupy' and more 'take back our city,' says one couple
A protester's signs urged Hong Kong citizens to "wake up" and join demonstrations, because "Beijing is not trustworthy, and democracy is a broken dream".

Hong Kong's leader offers to meet protesters, but refuses to resign

Hong Kong's chief executive, CY Leung, is the focus of much of the anger and disdain from the city's huge protest movement. On Thursday, he finally agreed to meet with protest leaders and start the dialogue that demonstrators have demanded. But he also says he's not going anywhere.

Hong Kong's leader offers to meet protesters, but refuses to resign
Mary Kay Magistad in Hong Kong

Beijing's usual playbook of control won't work in Hong Kong

Reporter Mary Kay Magistad spent 20 years reporting on China, and says Hong Kong's ingrained culture of law and rights is too powerful for Beijing's normal methods of control to work. And that's in large part because Beijing has ignored the city's real opinions.

Beijing's usual playbook of control won't work in Hong Kong
Hong Kong returned to Chinese sovereignty after 156 years of British colonial rule. The handover ceremony shows the Chinese flag flying after the Union flag was lowered on July 1, 1997.

Hong Kong still holds powerful symbolic meaning for China

Hong Kong isn't just a city — it's the place where China was able to strike a long-awaited blow at the Western powers who subjected China to decades of colonial humiliation. That's how Beijing still views the city, and that powerful past means compromise on the current protests is all that much harder.

Hong Kong still holds powerful symbolic meaning for China
Protesters stand on a bridge as they block the main street to the financial Central district outside of the government headquarters building in Hong Kong on September 30, 2014.

In central Hong Kong, the protest movement keeps growing

Hong Kong's "Umbrella Revolution seems to only get bigger as the days go by. At the center of the protests, demonstrators say they're not planning on leaving any time soon, even as their demands to Beijing remain unclear.

In central Hong Kong, the protest movement keeps growing
A Chinese national flag, at center, flies upside down on September 29, 2014. Chinese living in mainland China know very little of the pro-democracy protests taking place in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong has grabbed headlines around the world — except in Beijing

There might have been a lot of coverage of the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, but the story barely made a blip in mainland China. Chinese government officials have tightly controlled reporting from Hong Kong, and even blocked Instagram for the first time.

Hong Kong has grabbed headlines around the world — except in Beijing