Key Point b
National identity
141
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Teachers’ References
Some people in Hong Kong have a special feeling for China and regard themselves as
“Chinese”. There are others who have a sense of belonging to Hong Kong and regard
themselves as “Hongkongese” and are proud of the development of the city. In fact,
most Hong Kong people know they are “Chinese” but this knowledge does not mean
much to them.
After the reunification, the proportion of Hong Kong people who identify themselves
as “Chinese” increases, but their recognition of their identity as “Hongkongese”
remains unchanged. Some scholars believe that the younger generation has only a
superficial knowledge of their country, while the older generation, who has
experienced political and social upheavals in mainland China several decades ago,
holds a negative view. However, most scholars agree that with successful economic
development in China and a growing knowledge of China among Hong Kong people,
the proportion of Hong Kong people who identify themselves as “Chinese” will rise.
Their feeling towards the state, nationalism and patriotism will also grow stronger.
We can date the growth of nationalistic feelings in Hong Kong from past and current
events, e.g. the resistance movement against the Japanese, the period of Japanese
occupation (25 December 1941 to 15 August 1945), the movement to defend
Diaoyutai in the 1970s, the June 4 Incident in Beijing in 1989, the 1997 reunification
and the protest against the alteration of history text books by the Japanese about their
invasion of China. Nationalistic feelings in Hong Kong surged in different times and
events. It proves that Hong Kong people recognize their identity as “Chinese”, but the
deeper meaning of patriotism and nationalism is relatively hidden.
In respect of identity, some believe that we should not make too much of the
distinction between “Hongkongese” and “Chinese”. Lau Tin-chi, an experienced
media professional, said that Hong Kong is part of China. Geographically and
historically, calling oneself “Hongkongese” simply means “a person living in a place
called Hong Kong”, just like those who live in Panyu calling themselves “Panyu
people”. Chow Ba-chun believes that being “Hongkongese in China” means being
“Chinese in Hong Kong”; it is a new identity. He believes that only when all the
Chinese among Hong Kong’s permanent residents have established their new identity
can Hong Kong society reach the maximum degree of consensus, and only then can
our economic and political transition be successful.
142
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
The following questions are relevant.



What is the meaning of recognizing oneself as a “Chinese”?
Is it true that Hong Kong people have no nationalistic feelings? What events
showed the nationalistic feelings of Hong Kong people?
How can we increase the nationalistic feelings of the younger generation?
143
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Suggested Learning Objectives
Suggested questions
for enquiry
To what extent do
Hong Kong people
identify themselves
as Chinese?
[1 – 2 periods]
Learning objectives
-
-
-
Understand to what degree
do Hong Kong identify
themselves as “Chinese”;
Analyze the factors affecting
Hong Kong people’s identity
as “Chinese”;
Remarks
-
Discuss the meaning of
being “Chinese”.
-
-
Divide students
into groups, then
use Sources 1 and
2 for activities,
and let student
representatives
present their
conclusions;
Use Source 7 to
ask questions and
lead students to
reflect on the
meaning of a
“Chinese”
identity;
Refer to
“Supplementary
material” for
information about
the questions in
Source 7.
How have Hong
Kong people
identified themselves
with the nation in
Understand how Hong Kong
people the expressed their
nationalistic feelings in various
events in the past, including the
Since students
might not know
past events in
Hong Kong,
different times and
events?
[2 periods]
fall of Hong Kong in 1941, the
resistance movement against the
Japanese, the movement to
defend Diaoyutai, the
reunification, the protest against
the alteration of history text
books by the Japanese about
their invasion of China, China’s
teachers can first
divide students
into groups and
ask them to
collect
information and
write a report
about a certain
144
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Suggested questions
for enquiry
Learning objectives
Remarks
entry into the WTO and China’s
accession to the World Cup.
event (e.g. the
movement to
defend Diaoyutai
in the 1970s). Let
the representatives
present their
report before
starting the
-
discussion.
Asking students to
share their
feelings when
Chinese athletes
were awarded
gold medals in the
Olympics Games.
What is meant by
being patriotic?
-
Know the meaning of
“patriotism”;
Use Source 1 as an
introduction, ask students
[1 – 2 periods]
-
Analyze the behavior which
reflects a person’s
patriotism.
whether the three
youngsters in Source 1
are patriotic or not, then
lead a discussion.
After reunification, what are the changes
among Hong Kong
people in their sense
of Chinese identity?
To understand the change in
the extent of Hong Kong
people’s recognition of their
“Chinese” identity before
and after the reunification
Raise two questions
before the discussion: Do
you think you are a
Chinese? Are you proud
of your Chinese identity?
What are the factors
leading to the
changes?
[1 – 2 periods]
with China;
To analyze the factors
leading to these changes.
-
145
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Suggested question for enquiry:
To what extent do Hong Kong people identify themselves as Chinese?
Source 1
Source:
Department of History, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
146
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Source 2
I am from Hong Kong,
a real Hongkongese.
Where are you from?
Before
reunification
Who am I? Hongkongese?
Chinese? Hong Kong
Chinese? Hongkongese of
China?
After
reunification
Source:
Department of History, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
147
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Source 3
Source:
Department of History, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
148
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Source 4
The table below shows the results of a survey of Hong Kong people’s sense of
identity conducted under the Popular Poll Research Scheme of the University of
Hong Kong between August 1997 and December 2002.
Degree of
identifying
Degree of
identifying
themselves as
“Hongkongese”
themselves as
“Chinese”
August to December 1997
7.99
7.28
January to June 1998
7.64
7.10
July to December 1998
7.74
7.18
January to June 1999
7.56
7.02
July to December 1999
7.64
7.27
January to June 2000
7.78
7.50
July to December 2000
8.01
7.62
January to June 2001
8.09
7.78
July to December 2001
7.89
7.85
January to June 2002
7.81
7.76
July to December 2002
7.87
7.63
Month of survey
Note: The survey was conducted by telephone and the target respondents were Cantonese
speakers in Hong Kong aged 18 or above. 10 indicates the respondent fully identifies himself
as Hongkongese or Chinese, 0 indicates the respondent does not identify himself as
Hongkongese or Chinese at all, 5 indicates half-half.
Source:
HKU Pop site – Pop Polls – National Issues – Ethnic Identity – Strength of identity – combined
charts – half-yearly average, <http://hkupop.hku.hk> [accessed 21 March 2003].
149
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Source 5
The Hok Yau Club carried out a survey on secondary students in 70 schools in
the beginning of September 2002 and collected a total of 4,363 responses. The
survey found that nearly 90% of the respondents recognized themselves as
“Hongkongese”, 80% regarded themselves simultaneously as “Chinese”. This
shows students see themselves as more “Hongkongese” than “Chinese”.
Summarized from:
《香港經濟日報》
，2002 年 10 月 7 日。
《大公報》
，2002 年 10 月 7 日。
Source 6
Many Hong Kong people are very patriotic and never doubt their Chinese
identity. However, those who were born in Hong Kong have only a superficial
sense of China. Of course, they know they are Chinese, but their sense of the
country is very weak. Under a century of colonial rule, several generations were
never given any education in this regard. In addition, their parents had experience
of the Cultural Revolution. They moved to Hong Kong and pass on their
psychological scar to the new generation. It will take time for the younger
generation to experience nationalistic and patriotic feelings.
Summarized from:
《文匯報》
，2002 年 9 月 30 日。
《新報》
，2002 年 9 月 30 日。
《大公報》
，2002 年 9 月 30 日。
150
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Source 7
How much do you know about your country?
What is the original title of the national anthem of the People’s Republic of
China?
Do you know how to sing the national anthem?
Do you know the design and meaning of the national flag?
Do you know when the People’s Republic of China was established?
Do you know who the current President and Premier of China are?
Do you know how many provinces and special administrative regions there are in
China?
151
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Questions for discussion:

Why does the person in Source 1 hesitate when he is about to fill in the
“Nationality” column?

Describe the situation in Source 2. What factors do you think lead to this
situation?

Have you ever found yourself in the situations in Sources 1 and 2? If you have,
explain why you react in this way? Do you still feel the same way?

What change took place in Hong Kong people’s identity as illustrated by the
document shown in Source 3?

If a Hong Kong resident regards herself/himself as “Chinese” but s/he knows
nothing about China, to what extent do you think this person can be regarded as a
“Chinese”? (Hints: Ask students to think about what other meanings the identity
of “Chinese” has apart from the racial meaning.)

According to the sources, even though Hong Kong people gradually accept that
they are Chinese after the Handover, they still feel more strongly their Hong Kong
identity. Do you know why?

Do you regard yourself as “Chinese” or “Hongkongese”? Share your views with
your classmates.
152
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Suggested question for enquiry:
How have Hong Kong people identified themselves with the nation in different
times and events?
Source 1
Lee Lin-san, President of the New Territories Association of Societies said that
when the Japanese army invaded Hong Kong in the early 1940s, he was only
several years old. He adored the patriots who were willing to sacrifice their lives
for their country, and he wanted to join them in defense of home and nation.
Summarized from:
《大公報》
，2002 年 12 月 24 日。
153
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Source 2
Lau Kam-man, a villager in Sha Kok Mei village in Sai Kung, was the secretary
of a column of the East River Guerrillas during the Second World War.
In August 1949 when the Kuomintang retreated, … I was recalled by my Party to
work on the mainland. I lived and worked on the mainland for thirty years. I
finally retired as the Head of the Public Security Bureau in Huizhou in 1979 to
return to the village of my birth in Sai Kung. … When I returned to Hong Kong, I
had to obtain an identity card. The immigration officer asked me whether my
nationality should be shown as British or Chinese. Why should I be British? I
was born in Hong Kong; I am Chinese. So is Hong Kong.
Note: The East River Guerrillas was a guerilla organization founded by the Communist Party
of China during the period of resistance against the Japanese. It was named after the East
River in Guangdong province near where their headquarters were established.
Citation from:
Blyth, Sally and Ian Wotherspoon. “Lau Kam-man: The East River Guerrillas”, Hong Kong
Remembers. Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 1996, pp. 17-23.
154
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Source 3
The Hong Kong Federation of Students strongly supported the campaigns to
defend Diaoyutai and to make Chinese an official language in Hong Kong. The
Federation also declared at its annual conference that Hong Kong should be part
of a unified China. A spokesman for the Federation said that almost all of our
members are Hong Kong-born Chinese, and to be Hong Kong-born Chinese and
not “real” Chinese was an embarrassment to them. He pointed out that
reunification is the only way to solve the problem.
Summarized from:
South China Morning Post, 17 February 1972.
Hong Kong Standard, 17 February 1972.
Source 4
In 1970 the United States decided to handover the jurisdiction of Diaoyutai to
Japan. Students in Hong Kong at that time were very unhappy about this move.
They believed that Diaoyutai is a territory of China and should be returned to
China. They responded by launching a large-scale “Defend Diaoyutai
Movement”. Albert Ho, currently Vice-Chairman of the Democratic Party, was
studying law at the University of Hong Kong at the time. He said, “This
movement roused feelings for our origin, including feelings for recognition of our
nation and culture. It was an expression and pursuit of our identity.
Citation from:
香港電台電視部：
「集體回憶 — 70 年代：當年陽光燦爛」
，
<http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/tv/seventies/20020609.html> [下載日期：2003 年 3 月 31 日]。
155
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Source 5
Hong Kong people staged a demonstration in Central in February 1992. They
claimed that Diaoyutai was Chinese territory and should be returned to China.
Source:
Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union Website, <http://www.hkptu.org> [accessed: 10 March 2003].
The photo is copyrighted by the Union.
Source 6
This picture shows a fund-raising concert, held on 27 May 1989 in support of the
students and residents in Beijing.
Source:
Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union Website, <http://www.hkptu.org> [accessed: 10 March 2003].
The photo is copyrighted by the Union.
156
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Source 7
In September 1982 Hong Kong people assembled in Victoria Park in protest the
alteration of history textbooks by the Japanese government in its attempt to do
away with the 1937 Nanjing Massacre and other atrocities of the Japanese army in
China.
Source:
Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union Website, <http://www.hkptu.org> [accessed: 10 March 2003].
The photo is copyrighted by the Union.
Source 8
Members of the Japan Youth Federation, a Japanese right-wing group, has
constructed a lighthouse on Diaoyutai. Their action led to protests in Hong Kong.
A group of 140 protestors sailed to the island to demolish the lighthouse. A group
of university students were interviewed about their opinions on the event. Some
said, “It’s time for us to show that we love our country and we want our entire
country to be united: Hong Kong, Taiwan, Diaoyutai and the mainland. As
Chinese, we are one.”
Adapted from:
Mathews, Gordon. A Collision of Discourses: Japanese and Hong Kong Chinese during the
Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands Crisis. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, The
Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999, pp. 2-5, 12-13.
157
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Questions for discussion:

Lau Kam-man said, “I was born in Hong Kong; I am Chinese. Hong Kong is a
Chinese territory.” Do you agree with him? Why or why not?

Why do you think the students and people mentioned in Sources 3 and 8 were so
devoted to the campaigns to defend Daiyutai?

After the fall of Hong Kong in the 1940s, some Hong Kong people actively fought
against the Japanese. In the 1970s, Hong Kong students participated in the “defend
Diaoyutai movement”. What led them to such action?

In recent years Hong Kong people often joined in demonstrations and protests,
such as the “defend Diaoyutai movement”, the demonstrations on June 4 and
protests against the alteration of history textbooks by the Japanese about their
invasion of China. Do you think participation in these activities is an expression of
patriotism?

Have you ever participated in the activities mentioned above? If you have, what
are the reasons for participation? If you have not, what are the reasons for not
participating?

China has joined the WTO. The Chinese Soccer Team took part in the World Cup
qualifying match and China has successfully become the host of the 2008 Olympic
Games. Are you glad about this? If you are, what does it reflect? If you are not,
what are the reasons?
158
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Suggested question for enquiry:
What is meant by being patriotic?
Source 1
Four youngsters are discussing who is the most patriotic among them.
Never do I buy
foreign goods …
Never have I passed
in foreign language
examination …
I always donate
money to help
mainland people
who suffer from
natural disasters ...
Never do I
watch foreign
movies …
Source:
Department of History, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
159
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Source 2
… What should a person do to be patriotic? To be patriotic, one must obey the
law, which is an important part of building civic morality. Citizens must have the
legal awareness to know the law, to obey the law and to uphold the law. They
also must have the self-consciousness to abide by the law and obey the law. This
is the basic requirement of social morality. If a member of a modern civilized
society does not have basic legal knowledge, fails to obey the law and fails to
uphold the sanctity of the law, then he cannot be called a citizen.
Adapted from:
濰坊市英才學府網頁，<http://www.yingcai.org/files/wen/zgsj.htm> [下載日期： 2003 年 3 月 21 日]。
Source 3
I wanted to become a scientist and had planned to serve my country, China …
When I went to university in 1965, I found a few friends of the same political
feather, but our views were very different from most of our peers … Many of my
fellow students were dissatisfied with China … What they criticized was not the
issue of human rights but poverty, the low standard of living, hunger and so on. I
inclined to see the brighter side of China – the scientific and technological
achievements, large-scale projects, dams, rivers, bridges, railways and so on…
Source:
Blyth, Sally and Ian Wotherspoon. “Tsang Yok-sing: Coming of Age in ‘67”, Hong Kong Remembers.
Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 1996, pp. 93-94.
160
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Source 4
“Are Hong Kong people patriotic?” This question is difficult to answer. When the
June 4 Incident occurred in 1989, over one million Hong Kong people took to the
street to show their support of Beijing students. Were these people patriotic?
According to Maria Tam, a member of the Basic Law Drafting Committee of the
HKSAR, people who do not support the legislation of Article 23 of the Basic
Law are not fit to be Chinese citizens. Does this mean that anyone who has a
different viewpoint from Tam’s is not patriotic? Some people think that
patriotism means supporting the Communist Party of China and nothing else. Is
this requirement correct?
Summarized from:
《蘋果日報》，2002 年 11 月 22 日、2003 年 1 月 18 日。
《香港商報》，2003 年 4 月 6 日。
161
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Questions for discussion:

Do you think the youngsters in Source 1 are patriotic? Why or why not?

What do you think is patriotism? Is there a standard to measure whether a person
is patriotic or not?

Do you think Hong Kong students are patriotic? Why or why not?

Are you patriotic? Can you tell an aspect of your country that you love?

In what ways do you think the nationalistic feelings of the younger generation can
be enhanced?
162
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Suggested questions for enquiry:
After reunification, what are the changes among Hong Kong people in their sense
of Chinese identity? What are the factors leading to the changes?
Source 1
A survey by the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies of the Chinese
University of Hong Kong shows that the number of people identifying themselves
as “Hongkongese” has decreased since the three years after reunification, with a
corresponding increase in the number of people who identify themselves as
“Chinese”. This shows that the consciousness of a national identity of Hong Kong
people has become stronger. To a certain extent, this is caused by the political
reality of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule and the effect of strengthening of
civic education by the HKSAR Government.
Citation from:
香港中文大學網頁 — 2000 年新聞發佈：
〈中大亞太研究所調查市民對「一國兩制」實踐態度 市
民對特區政府的滿意度仍在低位〉（2000 年 5 月 9 日）
，
<http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/ipro/000509(2).htm> [下載日期：2003 年 3 月 21 日]。
163
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Source 2
In August and September 1998 and June 2001 the Hong Kong Federation of
Youth Groups conducted surveys on the values of youngsters. The following
table shows part of the results.
Statements
Strongly
agree
(%)
Agree
(%)
Disagree
(%)
Strongly
disagree
(%)
No
comments/
Refuse to
answer
(%)
1998
2001
1998
2001
1998
2001
1998
2001
1998
2001
You are proud of your
Hong Kong identity
You are proud of your
Chinese identity
You identify yourself as 30.9
a Chinese
You have a sense of
10.1
belonging to Hong
Kong.
13.0
-
61.9
-
18.4
-
1.1
-
5.5
15.6
-
54.5
-
18.8
-
2.1
-
9.0
47.3
64.0
47.9
4.7
2.2
0.3
0.1
0
0.5
24.7
77.1
63.5
11.7
9.0
0.5
0.7
0.5
2.2
Note: The total number of respondents in 1998 and 2001 were 573 and 875, respectively. The
respondents of the two surveys were between the age of 15 and 39.
Adapted from:
香港青年協會。《香港青年趨勢分析 1999》
。香港：香港青年協會，1999，頁 175。
香港青年協會。《香港青年趨勢分析 2001》
。香港：香港青年協會，2002，頁 176。
164
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Source 3
Through a student exchange programme, a locally born secondary seven student
who has never been to the mainland of China has learned to feel for China and
explore its history and development. She said, “Now I’m very sure that I’m
Chinese and I care about events on the mainland.” Three local secondary seven
students also said clearly, “I’m Chinese”. They are proud of China’s success in its
application to host the Olympic Games and its entry into the World Trade
Organization, and they hope they can serve their country.
Summarized from:
《成報》
，2002 年 9 月 2 日。
《大公報》
，2002 年 9 月 30 日、10 月 4 日。
Source 4
According to the results of an opinion poll conducted at the end of 1997 and
2001, Hong Kong people saw themselves as “Hongkongese” rather than
“Chinese”. There was no substantial change on this front during the four years
after reunification, showing that the sense of local identity remains strong.
On the other hand, Hong Kong people have obviously put emphasis on patriotic
education, on exchange activities between students from Hong Kong and the
mainland and promotion of national flag hoisting and the singing of the national
anthem in schools. They have also affirmed the superiority of the state and nation
over personal freedom and human rights. After the reunification activities
between the two places have increased and Hong Kong people’s impression of
the mainland more favorable. These developments will inevitably lead Hong
Kong people to “re-imagine” their relationship with mainland.
Summarized from:
《新報》
，2002 年 6 月 8 日。
王家英。
《民意識與民族認同：後過渡期香港人的經驗》
。香港：香港中文大學香港亞太研究所，
1997。
165
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Source 5
It is believed that the rise of a Hong Kong identity and a Hong Kong lifestyle
began in the 1970s. In the eyes of Hong Kong people, Hong Kong is a highly
efficient city and has the capability to remain prosperous. It is also a
comparatively clean society. Economic development creates opportunities for
upward social mobility and allows many people to become affluent. After 1997,
however, Hong Kong experienced the Asian financial turmoil, and their former
lifestyle crumbled. By contrast, opportunities for similar lifestyle are gradually
emerging on the mainland. China is integrating with the global economic system
and enjoys more opportunities for development. This results in making Hong
Kong people more prone to embrace their country.
Apart from economic factors, political and cultural factors also influence the
identity of Hong Kong people. British colonial rule for over a century is a result
of history and not a decision of Hong Kong people. Seeing themselves as
“Hongkongese” and not “Chinese” was inevitable. After the reunification, Hong
Kong becomes a special administrative region and implements “one country, two
systems” and “Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong”. The primary identity of
Hong Kong people is Chinese and the secondary identity is residents of the
HKSAR. Historical and political changes have allowed Hong Kong people to
gradually re-establish their “Chinese” identity.
Summarized from:
《明報》
，2002 年 6 月 28 日。
《大公報》
，2002 年 7 月 1 日。
166
Core Module II
Issue 2 – What are the factors affecting the people’s pluralistic sense of identity in Hong Kong?
Key Point b – National identity
Questions for discussion:

Describe the change in Hong Kong people’s identity after reunification with the
mainland in 1997.

What factors lead to the change in identity?

Are you proud of your Chinese identity? Why or why not?

Do you think the identities “Hongkongese” and “Chinese” are mutually exclusive?
Why or why not?

Some critics believe that Hong Kong people should build up a new identity –
“Hongkongese of China” which is equivalent to “Chinese of Hong Kong” – and
use the new identity to step into the 21st century and open up new opportunities.
Do you agree with this view?
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As a Chinese living in Hong Kong, what attitude should we hold towards our
history and our future?
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