Hong Kong Autonomy Movement (), sometimes known as the Hong Kong City State Autonomous Movement (), is a movement formed in Hong Kong amidst the raising awareness about Hong Kong's constitutional rights of high autonomy, free from interference of PRC government, as stipulated in

Hong Kong Basic Law The Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China is a national law of China that serves as the organic law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). With nine chapters, 160 article ...

Article 2 and Article 22. The Movement runs on the basis of the book (roughly translated: "Hong Kong City-State Theory") by Hong Kong scholar Chin Wan, in which Chin argues that Hong Kong possesses the characteristics of a

city-state A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world throughout history, including cities such as Rome, ...

. The Movement advocates that, under the principles of the

and

one country, two systems "One country, two systems" is a constitutional principle of the People's Republic of China (PRC) describing the governance of the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau. Deng Xiaoping developed the one country, two systems ...

, Hong Kong may enjoy the right to autonomy, subject to it not advocating or suggesting an independent Hong Kong. Chin Wan was the movement's advocate and consultant. Allied scholars and cultured individuals include former

Wan Chai Wan Chai (Traditional Chinese characters, Chinese: 灣仔) is located in the western part of Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is bounded by Canal Road, Hong Kong, Canal Road to the east, Arsenal St ...

District Council members Kam Pui-wai, Ada Ying-kay Wong; Hong Ko-fung, Chip Tsao, Chau Siu-cheung, and others.

Goals

* Universal suffrage, allowing a fully democratically elected

Chief Executive A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...

and

Legislative Council A legislative council is the legislature, or one of the legislative chambers, of a nation, colony, or subnational division such as a province or state. It was commonly used to label unicameral or upper house legislative bodies in the Brit ...

. * Ensure the Hong Kong government's policy-making does not stray from the goal of securing the long term interests of

Hong Kong people Hongkongers (), Hong Kongers, Hong Kong citizens and Hong Kong people are demonyms that refer to a resident of Hong Kong, although they may also refer to others who were born and/or raised in the territory. The earliest inhabitants of Hon ...

. * Implement long-term planning for housing and property policies, ensuring Hong Kong people adequate access to housing. * Revive Hong Kong's agriculture and industries. * Reconfigure Hong Kong's migration policy, taking back the power of immigration approval from

Mainland China "Mainland China", also referred to as "the Chinese mainland", is a Geopolitics, geopolitical term defined as the territory under direct administration of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the aftermath of the Chinese Civil War. In addit ...

. * Reflect on the implementation of the

, and perfect the constitutional process. * Defense of the Hong Kong City-State. Reject "Mainlandising" policies such as the ''Co-ordinated Development of the Greater Pearl River Delta Townships'' Scheme, and the "brainwashing" of pro-Communist

moral and national education Moral and national education (MNE), initially known as Moral and civic education (MCE), was a school curriculum proposed by the Education Bureau of Hong Kong in 2012. The subject was controversial for its stance on the Chinese Communist Party ...

. * Create a Hong Kong languages policy, defending Hong Kong's culture. * Reflect on currency and monetary policies, reinforcing financial autonomy.

Difference from nativism

In the West, nativism opposes all new foreign immigrants and newcomers, Hong Kong Autonomy Movement proponents claim to support equal rights for people of different races and foreign origin, and advocate to eliminate the inequality of rights between ethnic Chinese and foreigners, including birth rights, residency rights and election rights.

Historic background

In the latter half of May 2011, scholar Chin Wan pointed out that the Tiananmen massacre triggered the Hong Kong People's "Fear of China", and that Hong Kong's pan-democracy camp suggested a "Democratic Resistance against Communism" approach to calm the population. However, the Five Constituencies Referendum failed to advance democracy in the territory, and Chin accuses the Democratic Party of Hong Kong of taking no action other than chanting slogans, such as "build a democratic China", and calling for the political rehabilitation of the Tiananmen massacre, failing to act in the best interests of Hong Kong, effectively submitting to the

Chinese Communist Party The Communist Party of China (CPC), also translated into English as Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP emerged victorious in the ...

. He also criticized the Individual Visit Scheme and the

Moral and National Education Moral and national education (MNE), initially known as Moral and civic education (MCE), was a school curriculum proposed by the Education Bureau of Hong Kong in 2012. The subject was controversial for its stance on the Chinese Communist Party ...

curriculum as signs of loss of local values and mainland invasion. Chin Wan said, (translation) "The Chinese communist government is not afraid of a group of Hong Kong people that begs pitifully for democracy, they have become contemptuous, and no longer bother with even a perfunctory gesture." He believed that without an overt goal of Hong Kong autonomy, there is no hope for the Hong Kong populace, and the democratic movement would not last. He urges Hong Kong to be determined in its pursuit of autonomy, fortifying Hong Kong's political foundation. On 30 May 2011, a Facebook page for the Hong Kong Autonomy Movement was created.

Philosophical basis of conflict

Chin states that the reason behind the escalating tensions between Mainland China and Hong Kong were due to Beijing's constantly relaxing restrictions on the Individual Visit Scheme, attempts at implementing the controversial National Education subject, writing off the history and standards from the British colonial era, leading to many Hong Kong people believing in the degradation of "one country, two systems". Beijing looks upon the culture of the colonial government and elements of Chinese culture preserved by the colonial government, such as Cantonese pronunciation and traditional Chinese characters, as well as local slang, as either relics of a past era, or colonial remnants that need to be actively eradicated. Even modern concepts of

separation of powers The separation of powers principle functionally differentiates several types of state (polity), state power (usually Legislature#Legislation, law-making, adjudication, and Executive (government)#Function, execution) and requires these operat ...

judicial independence Judicial independence is the concept that the judiciary should be independent from the other branches of government. That is, courts should not be subject to improper influence from the other branches of government or from private or partisan inte ...

, protections for

human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

, that were introduced into Hong Kong by the colonial government, were seen as part of a tyrannical colonial rule, and are to be slowly forgotten, to facilitate the establishment of either a Chinese soviet or communistic system. Chin says that the Communist regime promised and yet continually denies Hong Kong people self-rule, and he therefore expects the tensions between Hong Kong and the Mainland to continue escalating. He said, (translation) "If the Hong Kong people do not resist, and the international community does not monitor this, Hong Kong will end up under "one country, one system". In other words, an illegal colonial rule by China. Whether this will come to be depends on if the Hong Kong people can awake and resist, pursuit universal suffrage and resist all illegal Chinese Communist interference according to the Basic Law. Hong Kong's Basic Law is concise, and is a very good 'mini-constitution', giving legal basis for resistance."

Comments

Member of the National Committee of CPPCC Lew Mon-hung compared the Hong Kong Autonomy Movement to the

Taiwan Independence Movement The Taiwan independence movement is a political movement which advocates the formal declaration of an independent and sovereign Taiwanese state, as opposed to Chinese unification or the status quo in Cross-Strait relations. Into the 21st- ...

, and believes that the Hong Kong Autonomy Movement is covertly instigated and planned by former Consulate General of the United States in Hong Kong, Stephen Young, in an attempt to split Hong Kong away from China.Lew Mon-hong
"指點江山：楊甦棣策動「香港自治運動」包藏禍心"
. ''Wen Wei Po'', 29 August 2011

Organizations

* Hong Kong Resurgence Order * Civic Passion * Passion Times

Figures

* Chin Wan * Cheng Chung-tai * Alvin Cheng * Wong Yeung-tat * Cheung Yiu-sum * Hitsujiko Nakade

References

{{reflist Autonomy Localism in Hong Kong Politics of Hong Kong