The Long Haul for Hong Kong
On April 3, 2019, Hong Kong’s legislature proposed changes to existing law that would allow extradition of suspects for specified crimes to mainland China. Many in Hong Kong have opposed this change, fearing it would make it easier for those whom the Chinese Communist Party sees as dissidents to be put on trial on the mainland. What began as protests against this law has ballooned into protracted protests over Hong Kong’s independence from mainland China’s legal system. Protests have turned disruptive and even violent in some cases, pushing the limits of what the CCP will allow.
I forecast violent protests by those opposing CCP rule a year ago (September 2018) in my book The Dragon’s Debt. I showed how astrological configurations from June 2019 through 2020 for China’s chart are very similar to those at the time of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989.
This article will look at the charts for Hong Kong and give a long-term outlook for Hong Kong.
There are two charts for Hong Kong: the founding of Hong Kong on January 26, 1841, when the territory was ceded to the British (which does not have a recorded time although 12:00 pm is a good approximation for the defining event); and the handover of Hong Kong to China on July 1, 1997 (which does have an accurate time, of midnight 0:00 am).
Comparing the HK handover chart to China’s chart, the stand-out configuration is Hong Kong’s Moon 20° Taurus forming a T-square with China’s Venus 20° Scorpio squaring Mars and Pluto 15°-18° Leo. Mars-Pluto in an aspect of conflict with Hong Kong’s Moon indicates that the mainland will not be afraid to be heavy-handed with the general population of Hong Kong. It also indicates the China might seek to forcefully make changes to Hong Kong’s financial system.
What’s interesting about these two charts is that not only does Hong Kong’s Moon oppose China’s Venus, but China’s Moon 4° Aquarius opposes Hong Kong’s Venus 3° Leo – people on the mainland have no sympathy for Hong Kong’s position.
China’s Sun 7°46' Libra is exactly trine Uranus 7°47' Aquarius in the HK handover chart, which would normally show a rapport between the two entities (especially as Aquarius rules China’s Ascendant), but transiting Uranus, currently at 6°-7° Taurus, is stirring up Hong Kong’s rebelliousness and assertiveness. Furthermore, China’s Sun squares Hong Kong’s Sun 8°53' Cancer, and conjoins Hong Kong’s Mars 5°11' Libra. These tensions shown by their natal charts will be further aggravated from August 30 through early September 2019 as transiting Mars and Sun conjoin at 9°41' Virgo, opposing Hong Kong’s progressed Moon 7°30' Pisces at that time. This emphasizes Hong Kong’s sixth house, which is associated with the police and armed forces, and indicates a strong reaction against Hong Kong’s protesters.
Looking at the HK founding chart in relation to China’s chart, Hong Kong’s Venus-Uranus conjunction in Pisces opposes China’s progressed Saturn 19° Virgo – and as the transiting Jupiter-Neptune square interacts with this configuration (Neptune in Pisces and Jupiter in Sagittarius), Hong Kong’s protesters feel they can win with their idealism. But Saturn has the reputation of putting a damper on things, and with transiting Saturn and Pluto in China’s twelfth house, moving to make their exact conjunction right on China’s natal Jupiter in January 2020, the mainland has the upper hand, and is preparing now to demonstrate that in the near future.
This HK founding chart had a Jupiter return in 2019, which occurred on January 7, 2019. Jupiter represents the rule of law, which is a core issue for the protesters. Uranus is stationary direct in this return chart, squaring the Moon in Aquarius, which Uranus rules. Aquarius is on the cusp of the return’s ninth house, also associated with the rule of law. These indicate that this issue will not fade away quickly; the protesters will stubbornly continue to make demands of the mainland government (the return’s Moon 1°08' Aquarius is conjunct China’s natal Ascendant 1°44' Aquarius) for some time. The return’s Nodes in Cancer/Capricorn square natal Mars 26°27' Libra, and the return’s Uranus opposes Hong Kong’s natal Mars, forming a Grand Cross. The Mars-Uranus combination indicates sudden and/or violent disturbances, and its configuration with the Nodes makes this a decisive moment for the future of Hong Kong. But with the return Moon ruled by Aquarius/Uranus, it is influenced by this Grand Cross, which shows sudden twists and a shaky outcome.
That Hong Kong would again see protests concerning its autonomy from mainland China is seen in the transits and progressions to the HK handover chart of July 1, 1997. Uranus has been moving through the first house of this chart for some time, a classic indication of a strong desire for greater freedom and independence. Uranus was in Aries for some of this transit, but entered Taurus in May 2018, and began moving to form a square with natal Uranus 7°47' Aquarius, aggravating the need for freedom.
That an outburst was brewing was shown by the progressed Moon of the HK handover chart. On January 20, 2019 the progressed Moon 28°23' Aquarius exactly opposed progressed Venus 28°23' Leo, which is right on the position of the August 2017 total solar eclipse. This was only two weeks after Uranus went direct, squaring progressed and natal Uranus. And as discussed above, this stationary direct Uranus casts a powerful effect through the Jupiter return of the founding chart.
The progressed Moon moved into Pisces on March 1, and obviously timed events as it moved to square natal Pluto. It was moving in tandem with transiting Mars in March and April of 2019 – on April 3, the progressed Moon 1°20' Pisces (in twelfth house) formed a T-square with transiting Mars 1°58' Gemini, which opposed natal Pluto 3°19' Sagittarius (in eighth house). Transiting Saturn 13°56' Capricorn (at the position where it will go direct on September 18) was squaring natal Saturn 19°29' Aries (in first house). Transiting Pluto and the South Node at 23°22' Capricorn were partile conjunct the progressed MC 23°25' Capricorn. With the transiting Saturn-Pluto conjunction involved with sensitive points, the indication is that the mainland government will prevail through very heavy-handed and restrictive efforts.
But the transiting Saturn-South Node combination is critical, as these two have been moving closely in tandem for months, in orb of squaring the HK handover chart’s natal Saturn. Neither side is willing to relent, but with the transiting pair in the tenth house of the established (mainland) government, the government has the upper hand. The South Node seems to be reinforcing Saturn’s retrograde meaning, encouraging the Saturnian virtue of restraint – so far. But as these two move away from their conjunction, Saturn indicates a more heavy-handed approach to quell the protests.
On September 23, 2019 transiting Saturn and the South Node oppose the HK handover chart’s natal Mercury 14°45' Cancer, and form a Grand Cross with transiting Mercury 14° Libra opposing natal Saturn. As Saturn is now moving forward (having gone back to direct motion on September 18), the gloves are off and the iron fist is in force. The mainland may introduce or invoke some policy or law, giving more power to the police (or army) in order to prevent any more protests, as transiting Mars in the sixth house (armed forces) is conjunct the natal North Node. Transiting Chiron is exactly conjunct the natal Ascendant 3°51' Aries on the same day, indicating that this is a big blow to Hong Kong’s freedoms and special status.
As November 2019 begins, transiting Saturn and the South Node have moved out of orb of their conjunction, and restraint is morphing into repression. Transiting Mars 3° Scorpio is moving to oppose transiting Uranus 3° Taurus on November 24. As they form a T-square with natal Venus and the progressed Sun in the early degrees of Leo, and Mars is moving through the seventh house of open conflict, there could be a sudden and violent stand-off between the protesters and the government, perhaps sparked by some violence perpetrated by the protesters and labeled as terrorism by the mainland, as transiting Uranus (which rules the twelfth house through its rulership of Aquarius) is conjunct the progressed Ascendant 3°25' Taurus.
And then there is transiting Saturn 18° Capricorn, forming a T-square with progressed Mars, debilitated at 17° Libra and opposing natal Saturn 20° Aries. This is a configuration of willfulness being strongly reprimanded and strong-armed by authority.
This interpretation is reinforced by the HK founding chart, for on November 24, transiting Mars is conjunct progressed Mars, both opposing Uranus. These are overwhelmingly explosive indications from both of the Hong Kong charts.
China’s chart has disturbing aspects in November 2019 also. Throughout November, China’s progressed Moon is very close to natal Mars 14°52' Leo. This is a trigger aspect, and as the conjunction is exact on November 24, the same day of the transiting Mars-Uranus opposition, this bodes ill for Hong Kong’s protesters. When Mars is triggered it indicates a lack of restraint; China may lose all patience with protests.
Additionally, there is a solar eclipse on December 26, 2019 at 4°06' Capricorn, opposing China’s natal Uranus. This uprising will not be put down quickly, but the mainland gains the upper hand with ruthless tactics due to transiting Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn and China’s twelfth house. (A more extensive analysis of this late 2019 time period, with charts, and the forecast for China are explained in my book The Dragon’s Debt.)
However, on November 24 the transiting North Node conjoins the Sun-Mars-Pluto conjunction at 9° Cancer of the Chinese Communist Party’s founding chart, clearly putting the course of events in their hands. But it also conjoins the natal Sun of the HK handover chart, so both sides are putting a lot of energy into what they feel is the proper destiny for Hong Kong.
In March 2020, transiting Mars, Jupiter and Pluto are moving through Capricorn together. On March 23, they are conjunct the progressed MC 24° Capricorn of the HK handover chart, and transiting Saturn, having just entered Aquarius the day before, opposes the progressed Sun. The next day is a New Moon at 4°12' Aries, conjunct transiting Chiron and the natal Ascendant, and opposing natal Mars. Hong Kong is in a very weak condition, with perhaps protesters being jailed. The HK founding chart also displays very troubling configurations; mainly that the progressed Moon 18° Libra opposes natal Pluto 18° Aries.
As Saturn moves through Aquarius, it will oppose natal Venus 2°17' Leo and then conjoin the HK handover chart’s natal Uranus while squaring transiting Uranus in Taurus. This indicates events that eventually could lead to the reorganization of Hong Kong as a financial center over the long term. In early April 2023, transiting Saturn will oppose progressed Venus 3°28' Virgo, and they form a T-square with natal Pluto 3°19' Sagittarius in the eighth house, just as transiting Pluto has moved into Aquarius, opposing natal Venus. Efforts by mainland China to extend its grip on Hong Kong’s financial system culminate during this time. Hong Kong’s status as an open, global hub for financial markets could be reduced initially.
But with transiting Jupiter, ruler of the ninth house of foreign countries and the judicial branch of government, moving through Aries and the first house, and Pluto, ruler of the eighth house of foreign capital flows and investment, in the eleventh house, Hong Kong’s financial system could be influenced by foreign intervention, and thus able to maintain some independence.
As for China’s chart in 2023, in early March transiting Neptune 25° Pisces opposes progressed Mars 25° Virgo in the eighth house. Neptune is moving through China’s second house of its financial system, economy and currency. Debt continues to erode China’s financial status.
In the same time period, transiting Saturn moves into Pisces, inconjunct the progressed Moon 2° Libra in the eighth house. China is in a compromised position at this time, probably due to debt. Then transiting Pluto enters Aquarius and begins to pass over China’s natal Ascendant. This is a transformation forced by external restrictions, perhaps in the form of reduced commercial trade, as transiting Uranus in the mid degrees of Taurus is squaring natal Mars and Pluto 15°-18° Leo. The international community is disapproving of China’s actions.
At first, rather than adapt, China seems to choose to hunker down and withdraw further from participating in the global capitalistic financial system. But some international agreement is indicated around April 11, 2023, involving foreign finance, due to the Grand Trine of transiting Sun and Jupiter, the progressed Sun and progressed Pluto. This benefits the CCP, but it comes with conditions. With Pluto moving through the first house for many years to come, and Uranus squaring progressed Pluto in 2022 through mid-2023, this agreement may be the pretext for foreign nations to exert more pressure on China to reform its economy and political system.
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