Student magazine calls for independence from China

The University of Hong Kong's student magazine has said the city should become a sovereign state recognised by the United Nations, in an article that has sparked a wider political debate – an indication of the influence of university students in Hong Kong politics.

In an article published last week in the monthly student magazine Undergrad and entitled “Declaration of Hong Kong’s Youth Generation”, it was suggested Hong Kong could become independent after 2047.

The magazine’s editor Marcus Lau Yee-ching said “only Hong Kong can decide the future of Hong Kong when the Basic Law (Hong Kong’s mini-constitution) expires in 50 years”. The Basic Law stipulates that Hong Kong is part of China.

The British colony of Hong Kong was handed over to Chinese rule in 1997 under the Sino-British Joint Declaration’s “one country, two systems” formula that stipulates Hong Kong should retain its autonomy for 50 years – a long time frame for many. But Hong Kong’s youth already see Hong Kong’s freedoms, including press and academic freedoms, being eroded less than 20 years since the handover.

The article said Hong Kong’s identity and heritage needed greater protection and the 2014-15 student led pro-democracy 'Umbrella Movement' had failed to ensure greater freedoms for Hong Kong young people.

It criticised the Hong Kong government for weakening the city’s autonomy by becoming a Communist Party “puppet”.

The article demands a democratic government to be set up after 2047 and a new constitution drawn up by Hong Kong people.

This is the second time the University of Hong Kong, or HKU, student magazine has advocated independence for Hong Kong. Last year in a supplement published by the magazine, it argued that the “Hong Kong way of life”, distinctive from the Communist Party ruled mainland, needed to be preserved by working towards self-determination in the future.

No longer taboo

The latest article has caused a stir in Hong Kong as the issue of independence is an extremely sensitive one, and a taboo subject for a long time, including during the colonial era. But HKU has successfully brought the discussion out into the open.

The call for sovereignty goes beyond Hong Kong’s 'localism' movement which has grown since the Umbrella Movement. Groups advocating 'localism' such as Hong Kong Indigenous want to push back against growing mainland Chinese influence.

Althea Suen, president of the HKU students' union, said in a radio interview just after she took over the role in February that political pressure had been increasingly felt at the university and that there was a serious “mainlandisation” issue at HKU.

“I believe that Hong Kong independence is a viable way out and I do [personally] support it. she said, making it clear it was not the position of the union itself.

The HKU union, nonetheless supports localism, she said.

In an online poll carried out at HKU between 24 January and 5 February by Undergrad, some 28% of 569 students polled supported independence, up from 15% in a similar poll last year.

Some 53% of respondents believed the "one country, two systems" formula was the best political structure for Hong Kong, down from 68% in early 2014.

Official reaction

Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying hit back Tuesday against the Undergrad article, saying it was common sense that since Hong Kong has been a part of China since ancient times, it will continue to be so after 2047.

Last year, responding to a similar article in Undergrad, Leung used his 2015 policy address to accuse students of “inciting separatism”.

Separatism had previously only been used in the context of independence movements in China’s restive Tibet and Xinjiang regions, countered with a severe government crackdown.

In an interview with Hong Kong’s English language South China Morning Post newspaper earlier this month, Rao Geping, a law professor at Peking University and a member of the Hong Kong Basic Law committee, said: “My view is that from the legal perspective the central government [in Beijing] will not sit idly in the face of attempts in Hong Kong to secede the city from the country [China] and undermine territorial integrity.”

He said he believed those calling for independence or secession from China did not represent mainstream public opinion in Hong Kong.

A number of high-level politicians and businessmen have argued that independence for Hong Kong would never be possible. But some acknowledged young people in Hong Kong would not stand by and watch as their freedoms are eroded.