Opinion | Why this 25-year-old is not leaving Hong Kong

As a Hongkonger and a Chinese national brought up through a British education system, I acknowledge both China’s imperfections and the darker underbelly of the colonial legacy

Hong Kong has many problems to tackle still. But to those who assert that Hong Kong is dead, that it’s high time to leave, I say: this is my home and I’m not going anywhere

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Published: 8:15am, 27 Jun 2022Updated: 11:53am, 28 Jun 2022

I was born roughly 100 days after the handover.

In the 25 years since, I have seen the city – my home – struck by three pandemics, rebound from two major financial crises, and endure two seismic social movements that reshaped its political trajectory. Yet Hong Kong remains resilient, fearless and proof of what a progressive, cosmopolitan financial centre can be.

In reflecting upon what the 25th handover anniversary means to me, I would like to share a few thoughts on how I see my identity as intertwined with the post-handover ebbs and flows of the city.

I’m a Hongkonger. I take pride in being part of a city that refuses to sleep – where you can commute between lush, green forests and swanky skyscrapers in minutes; where you can see the ideals and values of East and West converging, pushing back against ideologues who seem to see the Chinese identity as antithetically opposed to internationalism.

We cherish the common law jurisdiction that has long served as a pillar to our financial vibrancy and prosperity, which in turn undergirds a rule of law that renders us highly compatible and integrated with the world. It also helps that our location and infrastructural sophistication makes us a nexus for aviation, logistics, trade and tourism.

Admittedly, much of Hong Kong’s shine has dulled in recent years. For some, the city’s “decline” has to do with the political turmoil induced by deeply rooted civic antagonism. For others, it’s to do with our intransigent and unresponsive governance, dearth of industrial diversification and innovation, and self-imposed isolation, epitomised by the city’s approach to Covid-19.

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