Underground Front: The Chinese Communist Party in Hong Kong

by Christine Loh

Underground Front is a pioneering examination of the role that the Chinese Communist Party has played in Hong Kong since the creation of the Party in 1921, through to the present day. This book brings events right up to date and includes the results of a survey about the Hong Kong public's attitude towards the CCP.

Genres: China, History, Politics

372 pages, Hardcover

First published March 2, 2010

Reviews

[Song · Rating 5 out of 5]

全面而完整地回顾了中共与香港的历史渊源，从1921年到2009年。前半部分是很难得的南方视角中国革命史和共产主义运动史，以华南和香港为中心的叙述。这很新鲜，因为大陆读者了解到的正统中国革命史都是以北方为中心，比如延安，但南方革命党的经历却鲜为人知。

后半部分讲文革结束，中英谈判香港回归事宜，双方的政治较量也叙述得非常精彩，你来我往见招拆招，好不热闹。最后介绍香港回归后首任特首董建华的施政得失，这个人政治能力太弱，犯的低级错误令人难以置信。然后是后董建华时代的特首及立法会议员选举情况，这相当于今天香港现状的“前情提要”，让人理解现状的产生原因，自然也就明白未来走向趋势。这是本书最大的价值所在，要理解香港当下时事，看这本书就够了。

个人比较感概的一点是，1941年圣诞节日军进攻香港，香港沦陷，英国总督迅速投降并停止一切抵抗。整个香港唯一的抵抗组织只有中共领导的东江纵队港九独立大队，破坏日军的岗哨，协助在香港日占区的知名人士转移到内地国统区，组织香港儿童侦查日军情报，为盟军轰炸日军基地和舰艇提供导引。这是一段英勇而光荣的历史，香港人和共产党也曾经并肩作战，互为战友，抵御法西斯邪恶。可惜，这一切掩埋于历史之中，无人提起。

[Xueya Zhuang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through this book the readers not only see the CCP in Hong Kong but also get an idea of Hong Kong's history with the emphasis on the CCP's role. I should not have expect too many "exclusives" in the book, but the first part (the early phase of CCP in Hong Kong) is quite interesting. Moreover, Loh also noted “the Hong Kong Chinese in the cracks” -- the distrust from the colonial regime and the alienation of the CCP. The CCP is willing to give power to the elite and tycoons rather than the majority of the population, through which strategy the CCP faces the risks of mishandling Hong Kong related issues and undermining itself.

[Sky · Rating 3 out of 5]

An important trove of information on the workings of the Communist Party in Hong Kong, where the CCP still doesn't operate openly and politicians refuse to disclose whether they are members.
At time Loh goes into too much detail. The early and later sections on CCP involvement in Hong Kong were most readable, but the middle sections, especially on handover negotiations and preparatory work, were more of a slog, bogged down by too many facts.

[Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's interesting to read, because I'm always interested in HK history, and it's educational, as the writer says, no one has done such work before. I especially enjoyed reading about the early sections of CCP in HK