Much Ado About Political Nothing in Hong Kong

Last Saturday was the annual Tiananmen Vigil in Victoria Park, remembering the massacre of protesting students 17 years ago, but I did not attend. Part of this was laziness, but I also wanted to check out the competing event “On Hong Kong’s future through the meaning of June 4th” held at my school. This rival forum was put on by the Hong Kong Federation of Students, a collection of the student unions from the major Hong Kong universities. As you may note above, I was relegated to the English-interpretation room. 

Why was there a rival forum, you ask? Basically, the HKFS pulled out of the Vigil due to the rise of apathy (and antipathy) toward Mainland democratic reform in favor of Hong Kong independence. "Localism" has been on the rise since the end of the Umbrella protests over a year ago, part of the rising disillusionment over ever being able to negotiate with the central government. For some localists, Chinese democracy is irrelevant because Hong Kong isn't China. 

Its likely impossibility aside, I sympathize with the cause of Hong Kong independence, but not like this. There are valid reasons for greater autonomy, but this should not require rejecting solidarity with other Chinese who want the same. Hong Kong is inevitably tied to "Greater China" politically, economically, and historically, and any fight for greater freedom is going to be part of a greater struggle. Even if Mainland Chinese have largely forgotten June 4th, Taiwan, Singapore and the rest of the world have not. If Hong Kongers want greater control of their destinies, they must find it in a more sympathetic way. Dreams of independence should come from hope for greater freedom, not hardhearted resentment. Nationalism is a battle Hong Kong cannot hope to win against the Party-state, and one Taiwan has know well-enough to avoid (so far). As a U.S. southerner, I know all to well the problem of seeking independence for the wrong reasons. Sure, the symbolism of not going to the park makes a statement, but it is a statement one that is outrageously cynical.

Worse, all such an ideology like this does is divide the democratic front of Hong Kong even further. With so many factions wanting concessions from Beijing, it doesn't help to fight over minutiae like attending a remembrance service. The factionalism in Hong Kong is astounding, and it must warm the hearts of the cadres to the north.