Born after the handover and soon able to vote, Hong Kong's '1997 kids' on their complicated politics
The 18th anniversary of the handover means those born around the same time will soon be able to vote, and their views run a complicated gamut
Eliza Au Tsz-ying was born eight days after Britain handed Hong Kong back to China on July 1, 1997. Eighteen years on, at the threshold of adulthood, an unprecedented number of her local peers have publicly expressed feelings of detachment from the mainland.
Au shares those thoughts.
"When we look at the central government's attitude, we can see more and more interference. It is uncertain whether democracy will be possible in Hong Kong," she says.
The number of post-handover babies like Au grows all the time. According to government figures, they now number about 1.09 million, accounting for 15 per cent of Hong Kong's population. The social and political views of these "1997 kids", who grew up under both the five-star flag of China and the regional flag of the special administrative region, will shape the city's future.
Thanks to Hong Kong's compulsory liberal studies curriculum, Au feels no uncertainty about her civic duty. When asked about how she would participate in society, she does not hesitate to reply: "First of all, of course, I will register as a voter when I turn 18."
Au, who aspires to be a nurse, remembers vividly the fierce political discussions that took place in her school last year, even though she did not take part in the "umbrella movement" for genuine universal suffrage.