Are the Indigenous Citizens Qualified as Hong Kong People in Government’s Mind?
Are the indigenous citizens qualified as Hong Kong People in Government’s mind?
Housing problems has plagued Hong Kong for years, the government proposed to set up new towns in the northeast New Territories in 2008. Recently, the government Development Bureau issued two television announcements to promote the plan. In the announcements the government claimed, “Every generation deserves a better living environment, North East New Territories New Development Areas, New Towns for Hong Kong People”. The announcements, however, were strongly opposed by some villagers and conservation groups who had to give up their houses and farmlands because of the proposed plan. They insisted that the announcements misled the Hong Kong citizens to believe the new town development is legal, aims for their benefits and the indigenous are hindering the development.
This paper will firstly introduce the two television announcements, “North East NT New Development Areas Father and Daughter Version” and “North East NT New Development Areas Mother and Son Version” to investigate the power relations between the government and the protestors, and then analysis the two television announcements with theories in Register Analysis and also Critical Discourse Analysis and discuss how the government persuade the Hong Kong citizens to support the new development plan through television announcements and the limitations on the analysis. Lastly, will summarize the main points with conclusion remark.
Background Information of the Television Announcements
The Hong Kong government promoted the North East New Territories New Development Areas Plan in the last three months as to promote the land was needed for housing and supporting facilities because of the saturated urban areas in the older new towns. The controversies arose surrounding the New Development Areas. Some protesters, including indigenous residents and social activists claimed that the government used its authority to launch
Housing problems has plagued Hong Kong for years, the government proposed to set up new towns in the northeast New Territories in 2008. Recently, the government Development Bureau issued two television announcements to promote the plan. In the announcements the government claimed, “Every generation deserves a better living environment, North East New Territories New Development Areas, New Towns for Hong Kong People”. The announcements, however, were strongly opposed by some villagers and conservation groups who had to give up their houses and farmlands because of the proposed plan. They insisted that the announcements misled the Hong Kong citizens to believe the new town development is legal, aims for their benefits and the indigenous are hindering the development.
This paper will firstly introduce the two television announcements, “North East NT New Development Areas Father and Daughter Version” and “North East NT New Development Areas Mother and Son Version” to investigate the power relations between the government and the protestors, and then analysis the two television announcements with theories in Register Analysis and also Critical Discourse Analysis and discuss how the government persuade the Hong Kong citizens to support the new development plan through television announcements and the limitations on the analysis. Lastly, will summarize the main points with conclusion remark.
Background Information of the Television Announcements
The Hong Kong government promoted the North East New Territories New Development Areas Plan in the last three months as to promote the land was needed for housing and supporting facilities because of the saturated urban areas in the older new towns. The controversies arose surrounding the New Development Areas. Some protesters, including indigenous residents and social activists claimed that the government used its authority to launch