THE CMP DICTIONARY

Soft Resistance

Soft Resistance

軟對抗
| Ryan Ho Kilpatrick
Rude cabin crew, over-exuberant Songkran celebrations, and withdrawing from an opt-in organ donation scheme… What do all these things have in common? According to Hong Kong authorities, they’re all forms of “soft resistance” — a term that has increasingly been used to finger-point more indirect attempts to express dissatisfaction with the government.

The phrase “soft resistance” (軟對抗) began to be invoked with dizzying frequency in May 2023 by state-run media in Hong Kong and top city officials, including Chief Executive John Lee, Secretary for Security Chris Tang, Police Commissioner Raymond Siu, and Legislative Councilor Michael Luk.

Revellers target police officers during the annual Songkran water festival in Kowloon City.

None of the phrase’s heavy users have defined its meaning or parameters, but they have variously lobbed the accusation at people who sprayed water at police during the traditional New Year’s water festival; Cathay Pacific cabin crew who mocked a mainland passenger’s poor English; “yellow” book fairs; and local residents who chose to withdraw from a voluntary organ donation scheme ahead of its integration with mainland registries. It’s also been vaguely associated with any attempt to incite dissatisfaction with the government through media, culture, and the arts. The familiar mix of ubiquity and ambiguity shows how “soft resistance” is rapidly becoming the favored catchall for any behavior SAR authorities wish to stamp out.

With no more opposition to vote for, protests to attend, or openly critical media to consume, Hongkongers have been learning to find subtle, roundabout ways in their daily lives to assert their own autonomy and hold onto their beliefs — even as they are forced to hide them. The response from the government is unequivocal: no act of disobedience is too small to ignore. No resistance is too soft to break.


Ryan Ho Kilpatrick

CMP Managing Editor

The CMP Dictionary