Do millenials who have grown up in post-handover Hong Kong consider themselves Chinese at all?
How do they comprehend their Hong Kong identity with Chinese connections?
How do they see the subtle and sometimes troublesome relationship between Hong Kong and China?
Do they think Hong Kong should keep it's distance from China?
To mark the 20th anniversary of the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, SBS Mandarin journalist Cindy Xie's spoke to seven different young people from Hong Kong to bring some insights into how those who have grown up in the post-handover era feel about their identity:
Bebe: Hong Kong resident. Age: 30
Source: supplied by BB
I can’t tolerate Chinese mainland's baby formula powder and other food that contaminated by industrial raw materials. I can't tolerate Chinese people eating dogs.
In my opinion, it is difficult to maintain the identity of Hong Kong's people as a priority, because Hong Kong is a tourism-oriented place. But if it is about buying baby formula milk powder, Hong Kong people should have the priority. In terms of distance from China, Hong Kong has the "one country, two systems" policy and freedom of speech.
Luo Fu: Born in the 1990s in Hong Kong. Engaged in the "Umbrella Revolution"
I was born in British Hong Kong in 1992, and have never seen myself as Chinese. The interests of Hong Kong should be given to its people.
The Chinese mainland and Hong Kong are two different places, with different currencies, cultures, laws and values, with separate sovereignty, although we can do trade.
The Chinese mainland and Hong Kong are two different places, with different currencies, cultures, laws and values
After China took back Hong Kong in 1997, China wanted to change Hong Kong's laws and values to the same as China’s. Our freedom and democracy are not given by the Chinese government, and we deserve it, which is not the same as that of China.
Like the economic and trade links between China and the United States or Australia, China and Hong Kong can maintain economic and trade contacts. But politics should be independent and keep distance from China. Otherwise, it would be very dangerous.
The 'Umbrella Revolution' is a Hong Kong pro-democracy movement born out of the protests of 2014 that opposes Chinese government rule.
Below: Secretary general of Demosisto, another pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, Joshua Wong is arrested by police during a protest in Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong on 28 June 2017 - days before the 20th anniversary.
Demosisto secretary general Joshua Wong is arrested by police during a protest in Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong, 28 June 2017. Source: EPA
Mr Deng: Born 1980s Hong Kong. Now living in Australia.
I am not confused but honored to be Chinese.
Tensions can be reduced between the outsiders and locals if mainland tourists can gain a better understanding and adapt to local culture before they travel overseas or to Hong Kong, rather than bringing out their habits. Likewise, some Hong Kong people are too sensitive and overactive.
Hong Kong people should not always think that they are entitled to be the priority, as we should treat each other equally.
Hong Kong people would also expect to be treated same fairly when they go to other countries.
"I am not confused but honored to be Chinese."
If China becomes strong, Hong Kong people will benefit too. When unexpectedness happens to Chinese citizens overseas, China's response is usually very fast, and they do the same for Hong Kong people. So I think we should not feel that we need to distance ourselves from China.
Winter: Born in the 1980s in Hong Kong
Source: supplied by Winter
Hong Kong people do not feel they are Chinese. If there is negative news of mainland China, Hong Kong people would feel ashamed for mainlanders.
Some mainland people are not civilized enough, which annoy Hong Kong people even more.
"Hong Kong people do not feel they are Chinese."
Every government gives priority to its own residents and looks after them, as that's where people's tax go to. Hong Kong should be the same.
China is a communist country, which is different from most countries in the world, and that explains why many people in other countries don't like China.
Mr Ma: Born in the 1980s in Hong Kong. Now living in Australia
I never felt confused for my Chinese identity. Because I grew up in China, went to the university there, speak Chinese, celebrate Chinese festivals. And even from the aspects such as my skin and hair color, there is no reason to say that I am not Chinese. I don’t doubt my identity simply because of the negative news of overseas Chinese.
Under the principle of "one country, two systems" policy, Hong Kong needs its uniqueness and should have good policies and welfare for its residents. Hong Kong should put the interests of Hong Kong people first. Meanwhile, we should treat people from every region with equality and respect.
"Hong Kong should put the interests of Hong Kong people first. "
I can’t cut the ties with mainland as I have many relatives there. I was born in Hong Kong in the British era, most of the Hong Kong people at that time did not doubt their Chinese identity, and they were very patriotic, caring for the poor and offering help to people in need.
But some young people in the mainland and Hong Kong misunderstand each other. One possible reason is that the Chinese mainland people may believe patriotism equals to loving the communist party in power, but for Hong Kong residents, that's not the case. Country, democracy and party, the three concepts are mixed together in the mainland, but separated in Hong Kong.
Ms Liu: Hong Kong resident. Age: 28
I never feel I am Chinese. It’s very confusing when I speak Chinese to people from mainland, because many of them do not agree with "Hong Kong is not China."
For native Hong Kong residents, there is no particular reason for me to agree or disagree with China. Just because four generations of my family including my parents were born in Hong Kong, there is no sense of belonging to China.
Whether Hong Kong people should be given priority depends on specific situations. Hong Kong is a tourist port. Of course, visitors should have the priority rather than Hong Kong residents in this situation.
We don’t mean to keep a distance. It is just never that close (in terms of language) it is quite different from speaking to writing.
Louis: Born in the 1980s in Hong Kong. Now working in ShanghaiImage
I 100 per cent agree that I’m Chinese. When I was in Australia, when people asked me where I was from, I always say I am Chinese first before saying I was from Hong Kong.
I didn’t agree with many things when I just came to the mainland, such as why we can’t use Facebook and Google. The longer I stay, the more I realize that it is too difficult to manage such a huge Chinese population, so it would be also quite difficult to achieve democracy with billions of people.
"It is too difficult to manage such a huge Chinese population, so it would be also quite difficult to achieve democracy with billions of people"
I partly agree that Hong Kong people should be given priority. Hong Kong's policy should give priority to its own people.
I have been in Shanghai for six or seven years, and I feel quite safe living here, even better than many places in the world. For example, when you are drunk and alone in the United States or Sydney's Central and other railway stations, you would feel a little scared there. But in Shanghai, you will not have this feeling. A lot of my foreign friends feel the same.
