[Beijing Diary] Experiencing China's 'One Country, Two Systems'

Last June, a high-speed rail line connecting Beijing and Hong Kong was opened. While the existing trains on the same route took about 19 to 24 hours from departure to arrival, the newly established high-speed rail cut the travel time in half to approximately 12 hours and 30 minutes. It operates once daily for four days from Friday to Monday, departing around 6:30 PM and arriving early the next morning. Like other overnight high-speed trains connecting the Chinese mainland, it offers both seated and sleeper compartments.

From an efficiency standpoint, this train is hard to justify. There are already countless flights connecting Beijing and Hong Kong, often at cheaper prices. For example, a direct flight from Beijing to Hong Kong departing on a Friday (about 3 hours and 30 minutes) costs around 800 yuan (approximately 150,000 KRW), which is almost the same as the price for a second-class seat on the 12-hour train, and even cheaper than the sleeper compartment (1,170 yuan for an upper berth). Considering the travel time, it is a difficult option to consider. It seems more reasonable to view this route as part of the "Sinicization of Hong Kong," as some have suggested.

On the 30th, the Chinese national flag, the Five-star Red Flag, and the Hong Kong flag were hoisted side by side in downtown Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. It is said that the Hong Kong flag cannot be raised higher than the Five-star Red Flag. (Photo by Kim Hyun-jung)

With only a short time left as a foreign correspondent stationed in Beijing, I decided to spend a weekend taking this train to visit Hong Kong under the "One Country, Two Systems" framework. For the benefit of Korean residents or travelers curious about the train, I will share some usage tips and reflections from the experience.

Like flights between China and Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan, the overnight high-speed train between Beijing and Hong Kong should be considered an "international" service. I flew from Beijing (Beijing West Station) to Hong Kong (Xiqulong/West Kowloon Station) and took the train on the return route from Hong Kong to Beijing. Upon arriving at Xiqulong Station and boarding the train, I had to present my passport three times.

During immigration, I had to provide fingerprints from all ten fingers on both hands and received an entry stamp next to my visa. This was a tangible moment of Deng Xiaoping’s "One Country, Two Systems," which celebrated its 120th anniversary on the 22nd of last month. "One Country, Two Systems" means "one country, two systems," and refers to Deng’s promise during the 1997 Hong Kong handover negotiations with the UK to guarantee Hong Kong limited autonomy for 50 years until 2047.

Even assuming continuous movement, it takes over 40 minutes to enter the station and reach the train, so I recommend allowing at least 1 hour and 30 minutes of buffer time. The train runs smoothly and is well-maintained, but it is noisier than expected and has many disturbances that can interfere with sleep, so bringing earplugs and an eye mask is advisable. There is only one power outlet per four-person sleeper compartment, so electronic devices like phones should be fully charged in advance.

Experienced travelers already know that China and Hong Kong not only use different currencies but also different payment methods, except for some credit cards. Mainland China primarily uses WeChat Pay and Alipay, while Hong Kong mainly uses cash and credit cards. Mobile phones require roaming or purchasing an eSIM to be used.

Although most Hong Kong residents speak English, Cantonese, and Mandarin fluently, it is well-known that foreigners are better off using English while sightseeing. The urban legend that Mandarin speakers are treated somewhat unfavorably was close to reality in my experience. In some cases, it was even better to reveal that I spoke Korean. A young tea shop employee who saw Chinese yuan fall out of my wallet made me iced tea with two strands of hair in it (true story), and a taxi driver who overheard me speaking Korean with a companion praised Jun Ji-hyun’s beauty with Shin Seung-hoon’s "I Believe" playing in the background.

A professor I briefly met for dinner explained the ambivalent feelings Hong Kong people have toward mainland Chinese. It stems from the discomfort of living closely with capitalism and individualism in an international city, then being returned as part of China to embrace socialism and totalitarianism, as well as the predicament of losing former status and being unable to sustain themselves without mainland support.

Only 23 years remain until the end of "One Country, Two Systems." The future of the mainland, moving toward "One China," looks as complex and challenging as the train route between Beijing and Hong Kong.