Hong Kong Autonomy Movement

Hong Kong Autonomy Movement Flag, a modern interpretation largely based on the original Hong Kong Flag used during the British colonial period.

Hong Kong Autonomy Movement (Chinese: 香港自治運動) also known as the Hong Kong City State Autonomous Movement, is a political local awareness movement of Hong Kong.

The Movement runs on the basis of one book "香港城邦論" (roughly translates into "Hong Kong City-State Theory") authored by Hong Kong scholar Chin Wan, in which Chin opines that Hong Kong possesses the characteristics of a city-state.

The Movement advocates that under the principles of the Basic Law of Hong Kong and one country, two systems, for Hong Kong to enjoy the right to autonomy, but not advocating or suggesting an independent Hong Kong. Chin Wan is the Movements advocate and consultant. Allied scholars and cultured individuals include former Wan Chai District Council members Kam Pui Wai, Ada Ying-Kay Wong; Hong Ko Fung, Chip Tsao, Chau Siu Cheung, etc.

Goals

Hong Kong Autonomy Movement Flags at 1 July 2011 March

Universal suffrage, allowing a fully democratically-elected Chief Executive and Legislative Council.
The Hong Kong government's policy-making must not stray from the goal of securing the long term interests of the Hong Kong people.
Implement long-term planning for housing and property policies, ensuring Hong Kong People access to housing.
Revive Hong Kong's agriculture and industries.
Reconfigure Hong Kong's migration policy, taking back the power of immigration approval from Mainland China.
Reflect on the implementation of the Hong Kong Basic Law, and perfect the constitutional process.
Defense of the Hong Kong City-State. Reject "Mainlandising" policies such as the Co-ordinated Development of the Greater Pearl River Delta Townships Scheme, and the "brainwashing education" of the Moral and National Education Subject.
Create a Hong Kong languages policy, defending Hong Kong's local culture.
Reflect on currency and monetary policies, reinforcing financial sovereignty.

Symbol

The Lion and Dragon flag, adopted and modified from the design of the colonial flag, is the flag of the Movement.

Historic background

In the latter half of May 2011, Hong Kong scholar Chin Wan points out that the Tiananmen Massacre triggered the Hong Kong People's "China Fear", and that Hong Kong's pan-democracy camp suggested a "Democratic Resistance against Communism" approach to calm the population. However, the event of the Five Constituencies Referendum faltered the progress of democracy, and Chin accuses the Democratic Party of Hong Kong of taking no action other than chant slogans, such as "build a democratic China", and calling for the political rehabilitation of the Tiananmen Massacre, failing to act in the best interests of Hong Kong, effectively submitting to the Chinese Communist Party. Chin Wan said, (translation) "The Chinese Communist Government is not afraid of a group of Hong Kong people that begs pitifully for democracy, they (The Chinese Communist Government) have become contemptuous, and no longer bother with even a perfunctory gesture." He believed that without an actual goal of Hong Kong Autonomy, there is no hope for the Hong Kong populace, and the democratic movement would not last. He urges Hong Kong to be determined in its pursuit of autonomy, fortifying Hong Kong's political foundation. On 30 May 2011，netizens established a page of Facebook for the Hong Kong Autonomy Movement.

Chin Wan states that reason behind the escalating tensions between Mainland China and Hong Kong were due to Beijing's constantly relaxing restrictions on the Individual Visit Scheme, attempts at implementing the controversial National Education subject, writing off the history and standards from the British colonial era, leading to many Hong Kong people believing in the degradation of "One Country, Two Systems". Beijing looks upon the culture of the colonial government and elements of Chinese culture preserved by the colonial government, such as Cantonese pronunciation and Traditional Chinese characters, as well as local slang language, as either relics of a past era, or colonial remnants that need to be actively eradicated. Even modern concepts of separation of powers judicial independence, human rights laws, that were introduced into Hong Kong by the colonial government, were seen as part of a tyrannical colonial rule, and are to be slowly forgotten, to facilitate the establishment of either a Chinese Soviet or Communistic system. Chin says that the CCG promises and yet denies Hong Kong people self-rule, and expected the tensions between Hong Kong and the Mainland to continue escalating in the future. He said, (translation) "If the Hong Kong people do not resist, and the international community does not monitor this, Hong Kong will end up under 'One Country, One System'. In other words, an illegal colonial rule by China. Whether this will come to be depends on if the Hong Kong people can awake and resist, pursuit universal suffrage and resist all illegal Chinese Communist interference according to the Basic Law. Hong Kong's Basic Law is concise, and is a very good 'mini-constitution', giving legal basis for resistance."^[1]

Comments

Member of the National Committee of CPPCC Lew Mon-hung Compared the Hong Kong Autonomy Movement to the Taiwan Independence Movement, and believes that the Hong Kong Autonomy Movement is covertly instigated and planned by the then Consulate General of the United States in Hong Kong, Stephen Young, in an attempt to split Hong Kong away from China.^[2]

References