Denying Chinese identity does not change the fact
As the SAR’s anniversary brings the usual crop of ‘are you Chinese’ surveys, Zhou Bajun points out that Hong Kong people’s identity is clearly stipulated by the Basic Law
Hong Kong has returned to the motherland for 21 years now. In these 21 years, some Hong Kong-based public opinion survey agencies have regularly conducted opinion polls around the anniversary of China resuming the exercise of sovereignty over the city on July 1, 1997 to find out what local residents say — whether they are Chinese, Hongkonger or both. One of them has been asking respondents every year to answer the same multiplechoice question: Are you a Hongkonger, Chinese, Chinese in Hong Kong or Chinese Hongkonger? One can see these choices can be exclusive or inclusive. It is worth noting that quite a few respondents still insist they are Hongkongers, which means they refuse to admit they are Chinese in any manner or capacity. In other words, they don’t want anything to do with China.
Considering that opinion poll is always conducted in Chinese (Cantonese), we can assume the respondents who gave valid answers are Chinese citizens residing in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. If so, why do they refuse to accept their Chinese nationality? Incidentally, at a recent ceremony for a local current-affairs writer’s new book, a reporter asked the author this question: Since the People’s Republic of China has been in existence for less than 100 years, compared with 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, can a Chinese person be patriotic without loving the PRC?
A lot of Chinese citizens residing in Hong Kong could have asked that question any time but its logic is flawed nonetheless.
All the national identity polls and that reporter’s trick question only concern Chinese citizens residing in Hong Kong and the relationship between the HKSAR and the motherland. The reporter apparently changed the subject by comparing the history of the PRC with the Chinese civilization in the context of a question about patriotism. The reality is discussing patriotism in Hong Kong cannot avoid the fact the PRC is the sovereign state and always at the heart of patriotism.
National identity is a simple matter of recognizing the fact without emotional complications. For Chinese citizens residing in the HKSAR of the PRC, the question whether they are Hongkongers, Chinese or both is actually about their national identity. If a foreign national who has been granted permanent residence in Hong Kong is asked such a question, of course he or she can choose Hongkonger instead of any of those with a Chinese connection. For Chinese citizens residing in Hong Kong, however, refusing to admit they are Chinese would be lying about their nationality.
According to the Basic Law of the HKSAR, ordinary Hong Kong residents who are not foreign passport holders are recognized as Chinese citizens residing in Hong Kong but are not required to be patriotic. However, according to Article 104 of the Basic Law: “When assuming office, the Chief Executive, principal officials, members of the Executive Council and of the Legislative Council, judges of the courts at all levels and other members of the judiciary in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region must, in accordance with law, swear to uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China and swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China.” Some people may argue one does not have to be a patriot to swear allegiance to the PRC, but whether they can convince others or even themselves with that argument is another matter altogether.
The opposition camp in Hong Kong is known to “reject China and oppose the Communist Party of China”, which is why its leaders always avoid the subject of patriotism. They know their political objective is the opposite of patriotism in this case.
Maintaining the correct relationship between the HKSAR and the State is crucial to the success of “one country, two systems”, as is Hong Kong residents’ attitude toward the State. Since the practice of “one country, two systems” advances with the times, so does the relationship between the HKSAR and the State and Hong Kong residents’ attitude toward the State.
In the early years of the HKSAR, “one country, two systems” was interpreted as “everyone should mind their own business”; while many local residents were reluctant to admit their Chinese nationality. Today, as Hong Kong integrates its own development into the overall development strategy of the country, it is no longer possible for opposition parties to remain relevant without accepting the central government’s authority. They won’t last very long if they don’t.
Hong Kong has no choice but to integrate its own development into the overall development strategy of the country but Chinese citizens residing in the HKSAR can still enjoy the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Basic Law as long as they abide by the Basic Law and Hong Kong laws even if they don’t admit they are Chinese. That said, they must understand that refusing to admit their nationality does not change the fact they are Chinese nationals, or Hong Kong is a part of China for that matter.