Abbie O'Brien is reporting from Hong Kong
Hong Kong is known as one of just a few places on Chinese soil that welcomes open discourse and dissent - but on the anniversary of the bloody Tiananmen Square massacre, some fear
Ching Cheong, a former journalist who was jailed in the mainland from 2005 to 2008 on spying charges, is now back in Hong Kong, but says the protections that
Pro-democracy participants attend the protest commemorating the 30th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Hong Kong. Source: SIPA USA
"Hong Kong has been a safe haven for dissidents who fled outside Chinese orbit," he told SBS News.
"Hong Kong is no longer a safe haven."
In 1997, British colonial rule of Hong Kong was passed back to China, but under the unique political experiment, Hong Kong still operates under a separate legal system to the mainland
The "one country, two systems" policy means, that unlike China, Hong Kong residents can openly commemorate events like the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
The carnage unleashed on 4 June saw hundreds, possibly thousands, of students killed in a brutal crackdown by the Chinese Communist party.
This week, Beijing defended the clampdown in rare public acknowledgment, but each year, just across the border, one of the world's biggest commemorations is held in Hong Kong's Victoria park.
A protester with the Goddess of Democracy recreation in Victoria Park, where the protest will take place. Source: Abbie O'Brien
The event usually attracts tens of thousands of people, who light candles to mourn the victims and condemn the violence.
In recent years, crowd numbers have dwindled.
Former Hong-Kong-based journalist Ida Chen, who covered the bloodshed three decades ago, said some see it as a futile ritual.
"Many people have surrendered because they think what's the point," she said.
She, and dozens of other journalists have come together to document the brutality they witnessed 30 years ago.
Through the release of their book, I am a journalist: My June 4 record they hope to remind people why it's important to keep the Tiananmen flame alive.
"Do not surrender, do not let your voice be silenced," is the message Ms Chen has for those would rather forget the bloodshed.
Despite the recent decline in numbers, turnout at the 30th year anniversary vigil is expected to its highest in years.
Pro-democracy participants force their way through police, ahead of the Tiananmen Square demonstration. Source: SIPA USA
Many are feeling re-energised amid anger over a new extradition bill that could see political dissidents handed over to mainland authorities.
Keith Richburg, the director of the Journalism and Media Centre at Hong Kong University said it's the latest example of China exerting its influence in Hong Kong.
The former Washington Post Beijing bureau chief said Hong Kong is slowly gravitating into China's orbit.
"There is no one thing that made people think that but a series of little things. The latest one being this extradition bill that they’re trying to pass, the abductions of the booksellers, the kicking out of the very respected of financial times journalist," he told SBS News.
Pro-democracy protesters carry a mock tank near Victoria Park. Source: AP
"[It's] all of these little steps that makes us start to think that Hong Kong’s liberties, its freedoms its rule of law, all the things that made Hong Kong special, are slowly being eroded."
Nathan Law is one of the student leaders who spent time behind bars for his role in the "Umbrella Revolution", a pro-democracy movement that brought Hong Kong to a standstill in 2014.
The 25-year-old told SBS News the protests, which lasted 79 days, triggered Beijing's crackdown.
"It's been five years. We've been witnessing a lot of things that have never happened in Hong Kong like legislators being disqualified from the council, candidates being disqualified, people were locked in jail because of peaceful protests," he said.
"The morale after the Umbrella movement has been diminished because repression from the government has been getting more severe."
Mr Law said he worries bout he future of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong protesters carry placards reading "Vindicate June 4th" and "Put an end to one-party Dictatorship”. Source: AP
He fears one day, people won't be free to openly commemoration events like Tiananmen.
"There will be more repression from the mainland China, in regards to stopping Hong Kong lighting up its candle to remember the 4th of June massacre."
In 2047, the "one country, two systems" agreement expires.
Ms Richburg, who covered the 1997 handover said many watching the process had envisioned a very different to what it is today.
"I cringe where I look at some of the stories I wrote in 1995 and 97 leading up to the handover and at the time of the handover. We all wrote about, the word were used was convergence, Hong Kong and China were going to converge," she said.
"China seemed like it was on a trajectory to become a more open and democratic place. Now China has become more authoritarian."
