Chan Ho-tin

Chan Ho-tin
陳浩天
Convenor of the Hong Kong National Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 28 March 2016
Preceded by	New party
Personal details
Born	(1990-09-07) 7 September 1990 Hong Kong
Nationality	Hong Kong Chinese
Political party	Hong Kong National Party
Residence	Hong Kong
Alma mater	Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Andy Chan Ho-tin (Chinese: 陳浩天; born 7 September 1990) is a Hong Kong pro-independence activist and the convenor of the Hong Kong National Party. He attracted media attention after the Hong Kong government's high-profile criticism after he established the Hong Kong National Party, the first party advocates for Hong Kong independence in 2016. In the 2016 Hong Kong Legislative Council election, his candidature was disqualified by the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) due to his political stance.

Biography

He was born in Hong Kong in 1990 and studied engineering and business administration at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU). He first participated in politics when he joined the 2014 Hong Kong protests which was dubbed as the "Umbrella Revolution" against the Chinese government's decision to set restriction on the nominating method of the candidates for the 2017 Hong Kong Chief Executive election. He was one of the protesters went to the scene after the police's clearance of the "civic square" occupied by the protesters on 27 September.^[1] He was dissatisfied with the student leaders in the protests and called for more radical and militant approaches. He blamed the leaders of the Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS) for the failure of the movement, and launched the disaffiliation campaign to separate the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Students' Union (HKPUSU) from the HKFS membership as the convenor of the HKPU Disaffiliation Concern Group. The HKPUSU eventually passed the threshold of 1,700 votes in the referendum, with approval for disaffiliation winning with 1,190 votes.^[1]

After the disaffiliation campaign, Chan began to strive for Hong Kong independence. On 28 March 2016, Chan established the self-claimed first pro-independence party in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong National Party. Chan's move drew attacks from the Chinese state media and Hong Kong government. An editorial piece in the Chinese government-owned Global Times slammed the Hong Kong National Party by stating that it is "impossible to achieve" independence for Hong Kong and calling it "a practical joke" and "proliferation of extremism in Hong Kong".^[2] The State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office issued a statement through the official Xinhua News Agency on 30 March 2016, following the declaration of the formation of Hong Kong National Party, condemning the party "has harmed the country’s sovereignty, security, endangered the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, and the core interests of Hong Kong..."^[3] The Hong Kong government issued a statement after the formation of the party, stating that "any suggestion that Hong Kong should be independent or any movement to advocate such 'independence' is against the Basic Law, and will undermine the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong and impair the interest of the general public…”^[3]

In the 2016 Hong Kong Legislative Council election, Chan's candidacy in the New Territories West was questioned by the returning officer of the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC). The EAC required Chan and all other candidates to sign an additional confirm form to declare their understanding of Hong Kong being an inalienable part of China as stipulated in the Basic Law of Hong Kong.^[4] Chan refused to sign the form and his candidacy was "invalidated" along with five other pro-independence activists after the end of the nomination period.^[5] The Hong Kong National Party launched a rally on 5 August which was dubbed the "first pro-independence rally in Hong Kong" against the EAC's disqualifications.^[6]

References