Hong Kong’s Fujian gangs explained: from migrant fraternities to political henchmen

Demystifying the Fujianese Gangs who have been seen at various ‘dark red’ locales attacking, intimidating and tussling with protesters since the early days of the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill (Anti-ELAB) movement.   

[ Editor’s note: The Fujian associations of Hong Kong, historically fraternities for immigrants from the mainland province of Fujian, provide fascinating insights into the Chinese Communist Party’s new united front in the territory, through organised activities and funding of various facade entities. The political position of these entities support the oppressive approach against protesters by the police, and explains why the police turned a blind eye to their violent assault on civilians on several occasions, including indiscriminate attacks on innocent citizens by men in white shirts on 21 July 2019 and attacks on commuters at Prince Edward station on 31 August 2019 that led to a bloody assault on these same commuters by armed police, while the attackers conveniently vanished without a trace.]

On 5 August last year, scuffles broke out in North Point and Tsuen Wan - districts that are home to large numbers of Fujianese migrants. News circulated over the internet that Fujian gangs were calling up people to attack the protesters. 

In the afternoon of 11 August, large groups of men in red shirts bearing the Chinese word for “Fujian” gathered in North Point. Later that night, a man dressed in black - the colour worn by protesters - was attacked by more than ten of these men. 

On 15 September, another group of people in white shirts also bearing the word “Fukien” were seen in North Point and Fortress Hill beating up young people.

The largest Fujianese fraternity in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Federation of Fujian Associations have openly supported the Hong Kong government and police force since the beginning of the Anti-ELAB movement. 

On the 10 August, the Fujian Association organised a large rally to “end violence and chaos” and to “curb (Hong Kong) independence movements” in an effort to “protect the homeland”. Participants called for translating the political talk into action. They emphasised that they would “strike back” at whomever “offended” them. Despite the Chairman of the Hong Kong Federation Fujian Associations Wu Huan Yan (also the Fujian Province representative of the Chinese People’s Consultative Conference) claiming that the Fujianese would be calm and collected, disapproving the acts of the men in red shirts. However, this did not alleviate the anxieties of the populace.

While the Fujianese gangsters who attacked people on the city streets are nowhere to be found, one might still wonder what place the Hong Kong Federation of Fujian Associations has in Hong Kong society. In fact, they are the high level organiser and coordinator for all Fujianese entities and organisations in Hong Kong. The origins of these subsidiary fraternities can all be traced back to specific villages, counties, towns, cities in the province of Fujian.

The Fujian Association is widely believed to be closely related to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Xi met with Fujianese immigrants in Hong Kong in 1997 and 2001 when he was first the Deputy Head and later the Head of Fujian and Zhejiang Provinces. Shortly before the Anti-ELAB movement began in June last year, Xi met with an entourage from the business and commercial sectors of Hong Kong. A close relationship with Xi seems to have been a massive financial blessing for the Fujian Association.

Sources revealed to Initium Media that Fujian associations are the conveyor belts for the CCP’s influence in Hong Kong. Their objectives include forging relations by wooing Hong Kong people, communicating CCP policies, growing pro-Beijing sentiment as well as isolating and attacking political enemies.

In May last year, Han Zheng, standing member of the Political Bureau in charge of Hong Kong and Macau affairs, met with Fuijian Association chairman Wu Huan Yan in Beijing. Han lauded the Fujian Association, crowning it with the glorious titles of “Xi Jinping’s trusted iron army”.

The main political mission of this organisation has been to prevent the pan-democratic camp from winning more than half of the Legislative Council seats. In the last couple of years, they have been very active in mobilising Fujian immigrants to register as voters and to organise rallies against any pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong while serving as the CCP’s soundboard.

Source: https://theinitium.com/article/20191101-hongkong-fujian-associations-analysis/