1st July 2012 marks the 15th Anniversary of the Establishment of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. 15 years ago, Hong Kong marks the “hand-over” as a British Colony to a “Chinese Colony”. Return of the mother-land was well accepted, and even looked forward to.
Hong Kong after the fireworks that celebrated the 15th Anniversary.
Hong Kongers were looking forward to Hong Kongers taking their own leadership and decide the fate of Hong Kong.
Hong Kongers have r been more proud of themselves. The University of Hong Kong asked 1,016 residents to rate how strongly they feel themselves as “Hong Kong citizen.” On a scale of zero to 10 — 10 being the strongest — the average rating was 8.23, the highest in 10 years of regular polling.
The rating for their feelings about being a “Chinese citizen” averaged at 7.01, a 12-year low.
The question of identity was a direct results of the dissatisfaction many Hong Kongers have had about Mainland China. Hong Kongers increasingly believed their rights and democracy is slowly given up to the Communist Chinese, a concern raised by the last Governor, Chris Patten.
Ten of thousands of Hong Kongers marched down Causeway Bay on the 1st July, not to celebrate the anniversary, but to protest against the increasingly corrupted society, the new Chief Executive Officer, C Y Leung, human rights issues in China and the lack of democratic process in Hong Kong. Hong Kongers marched down Hong Kong’s busiest area with flags of Hong Kong. The flags of Colonial Hong Kong.
Flag of Hong Kong (current)
Flag of Hong Kong (Colonial)
The appointment ceremony of Mr C Y Leung on 1st July was conducted in Mandarin and English, while Hong Kong’s official spoken language has always been Cantonese and English. The celebratory ceremony was also filled with performances that could be seen only on CCTV.
Whilst the rest of the world are anti-colonisation, Hong Kong was in a unique place where people would rather be a colony. There seems to be more freedom, more democracy, people also had a better life.
Hong Kongers are in a battle to regain their freedom, their voice, their identity, and their democracy. A battle that Hong Kongers may never win.
