Can Hongkongers be made to love China? Probably not, but that hasn’t stopped Beijing or the Hong Kong government from trying

The Hong Kong government have tried forcing through national education, an anthem law and now an extradition bill. Maybe, instead of asking why Hongkongers don’t love China, they should ask whether love is something that can be forced

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Supporters of China and the Hong Kong police carry Chinese flags at the Kwai Chung Police Station on August 10. Photo: Edward Wong

Published: 6:45am, 31 Aug 2019Updated: 6:58am, 31 Aug 2019

Some people cannot imagine a world without love. One might argue that what is more essential to a society is the rule of law – laws based on the principles of justice. Love may be spontaneous and fleeting, but citizens whose liberties are protected by law can live in peace, security and with dignity. Laws can be enforced; love cannot.

In 2012, the Hong Kong government sought to introduce Chinese civic education into its public school curriculum as an attempt to inculcate love and respect in Hong Kong youth for their “motherland”. The pro-China curriculum included statements that lauded China’s ruling party and criticised multiparty systems, while making no mention of major events in China’s history, like the Tiananmen massacre.

Amid massive protests, the plan was shelved. More recently, the government has set out to implement a national anthem law, making it a crime to disrespect the Chinese anthem (for example, by parodying it), or not to stand solemnly when it is being played in public. In the name of patriotism, freedom of speech – the foundation of civil society – was disregarded.

China might have been able to earn Hongkongers’ respect if it had honoured the rule of law and its handover agreement with Britain. In time, respect might have blossomed into love. But calling the Sino-British agreement void and repeated attempts to compel love from Hongkongers has only led to resentment and hate.

Unfortunately, the government has not learned from its mistakes. During a televised interview on June 12, immediately after Hong Kong police had used violence against largely peaceful protesters, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor used a mother-child analogy to describe the government’s relationship with the people.

The message was clear: the prodigal child should obey the loving mother and love her back. Hong Kong people, who remember that Lam was a civil servant, did not buy this cheap and deeply ironic analogy. Reports have also claimed that Lam asked her two sons, working outside Hong Kong, not to come back because it was unsafe.

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