Hong Kong National Party is born: will push for independence, will not recognise the Basic Law
Hong Kong National Party could be on thin ice with mainland authorities after declaring it will not recognise the Basic Law
A new group appearing to be at the extreme end of the localism movement is setting up a party to turn Hong Kong into an independent republic, swiftly inviting scepticism across the political divide.
Calling itself the Hong Kong National Party, the group said it would not recognise the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, a stance that could have it mired in legal trouble.
Led by former Occupy Central activist Chan Ho-tin, the National Party will use “whatever effective means” available to push for independence, including fielding candidates in the Legislative Council elections in September and co-ordinating with other pro-independence localist groups.
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“Staging marches or shouting slogans is obviously useless now. Regarding using violence, we would support it if it is effective to make us heard,” said Chan at a press conference he conducted alone on Monday at a flat in a Tuen Mun factory building.
He claimed the party was funded entirely by the donations of its 50-plus members, mostly university students and young activists.
Its emergence comes amid a rising tide of localism, encouraged by the unexpectedly credible showing of localist candidate Edward Leung Tin-kei in last month’s Legco by-election.
In calling for outright independence, the new group is at the extreme end of the political spectrum. By comparison, a new party being set up by former core leaders of the now-suspended student group Scholarism has stopped short of advocating independence, despite the call for “self-determination by Hong Kong people”.