EditorialRespect for national flag is not optional
- Those who desecrate such emblems in city protests not only face up to three years in jail, but also are an affront to the pride and dignity of Chinese people
There does not seem to be any grey areas when it comes to respect for Chinese national symbols. Enacted in Hong Kong upon reunification, the National Flag and National Emblem Ordinance stipulates that anyone who desecrates the flag or emblem by publicly and wilfully burning, mutilating, scrawling on, defiling or trampling on it is liable to three years’ imprisonment. It is therefore troubling when young radicals repeatedly target the flag during city protests.
The latest case, on Sunday, saw a flag thrown into a river after being defaced and trampled upon by a group of protesters in a shopping centre in Sha Tin. A 21-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident and may face court. In Tuen Mun, the day before, a 13-year-old girl was also detained for burning the national flag.
Such acts, seen previously in protests, were probably driven by political defiance rather than an organised separatist movement. However, they did cross Beijing’s red line on national sovereignty, and were not only an affront to the pride and dignity of Chinese people, but also liable to fuel nationalist sentiment across the border and raise tensions between Hong Kong and the mainland. The strong reaction from state media underlines the severity of the matter.
Admittedly Hongkongers, despite 22 years of reunification with China, still score low when it comes to national identity. Even more worrying is the involvement of youngsters in the recent actions against flags. This underlines the inadequacies of the education system and does not bode well for the future relationship between the central government and the city.
Calls by former chief executive and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference vice-chairman Tung Chee-hwa to step up national education in future should be seriously addressed by the government. Some schools are reportedly considering toning down or cancelling flag-raising ceremonies marking National Day, October 1, because of the political tensions. While national identity and patriotism can only be encouraged rather than imposed, society may get the wrong message that respect for national symbols and sovereignty is optional.