Oysterman and Refugee: Hong Kong and China Between the Tides, 1949–1997.

This article analyzes the Hong Kong–China maritime border since 1949, focusing on oyster-producing communities in the Pearl River estuary and how oystermen navigated the border's ideological, political, and economic challenges. It contrasts Hong Kong's traditional family-based oyster cultivation with China's collectivized and later decollectivized socialist agricultural models, showing that by the late Mao era, China's oyster industry surpassed Hong Kong's despite environmental and political pressures. The study highlights how oystermen—some refugees, others residents—experienced both threats, such as kidnappings during the Cultural Revolution, and opportunities through cross-border trade and networks, illustrating the border's fluidity and evolving significance. Ultimately, the article argues that the border's meaning inverted over time, with China emerging as the center of economic dynamism, reflecting broader shifts in regional political economy and social relations.