The mobilization against the "Sinisation" of Hong Kong continues to grow. On Saturday, July 13, police and demonstrators clashed in an anti-government protest against traders from mainland China sourcing from the territory.

Pepper spray and police batons were used by police against masked demonstrators in Sheung Shui, a town near the border with China where thousands protested against these "shadow traders".

No turnover tax

In Sheung Shui, dozens of pharmacies or cosmetics stores that flourish are very popular among mainland Chinese traders. They come to Hong Kong, an independent territory without a turnover tax, to sell them on the other side of the border.

These "parallel traders" operate business in border areas, but they are also a source of tension for residents.

"Rents have gone up, other small shops or restaurants can not survive," 74-year-old Siu Hok-yan said in a crowd of protesters. "The whole region has become a site for supplying parallel traders instead of locals."

Most stores had lowered the curtain before the event. The few remaining open were forced to close by protesters, according to images broadcast by local media.

In a statement, police said they deployed after protesters began to argue with residents and "tried to charge police officers". The protesters accused the police of having charged without warning.

Vast pro-democracy movement

Massive demonstrations, in addition to violent clashes with the police, have shaken Hong Kong for more than a month. These, initially prompted by a draft law of the pro-Beijing government authorizing extraditions to mainland China, now suspended, have gradually turned into a vast pro-democracy movement in the semi-autonomous territory, former British colony.

The influx of tourists and immigrants from mainland China has caused a growing rejection in recent years by Hong Kong residents.

Since the handover in 1997, about one million Chinese have emigrated to Hong Kong. A cause of friction in this city of 7.3 million people who suffers from a serious shortage of housing and where the cost of real estate is exorbitant.

With AFP