Localism, a loose movement that mobilises online and campaigns for local identity or independence, has garnered extensive media attention, most recently when Edward Leung Tin-kei, spokesman of localist group Hong Kong Indigenous, won a respectable 15.4 per cent or 66,524 votes cast in the New Territories East Legislative Council by-election.

After the Mong Kok riot last month, which Leung’s group has been accused of instigating, Beijing promptly branded localists who took part in the unrest “separatists”. But the strong poll result suggested greater acceptance of the localist movement than previously thought.

Last week, student union presidents at two local universities also caused a stir when on a radio programme they pledged their allegiance to the ideal of independence.

The Post contacted new student union presidents and contenders for the top student-held post at the city’s eight publicly funded universities to find out whether they supported localism, and, if they did, where their views sat along the political spectrum.

READ MORE: Despite facing a rioting charge, localist Edward Leung garnered 16 per cent of Legco by-election votes. Who voted for him ... and why?

Most leaders stated that localism as a political doctrine, once shunned as being too radical, was gaining adherents on their campuses.

The Post found that of the eight universities, the University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology had elected a pro-localist student union.

Baptist University could usher in a pro-localist student union, too, given the only contender in the race was said to support localism.

Lingnan University is led by non-localist president Devon Cheng Pui-lun, who formed a mixed cabinet consisting of some localist members.

Polytechnic University is the most lukewarm of the student unions towards localism, as it is led by Franco Wong Chak-hang, who said he believed in inclusiveness and opposed anti-mainland sentiments held by many localists.

City University and Hong Kong Institute of Education were not scheduled to elect a student union president this year.

Ernie Chow Shue-fung, the newly elected Chinese University student union president, told the Post his union merely wanted the former British colony to have autonomy in deciding its future.

Elaborating on his take on localism, Chow said a lack of autonomy was the root problem.

“Be it full independence for Hong Kong, Hong Kong-Britain unification, or continuation under the one country two systems approach ... Hongkongers are not given the autonomy to choose,” he said.

Chow added he could accept One Country, Two Systems if Hongkongers could come to a consensus.

But the way the principle was being propagated now, he said, was unacceptable because it had deviated from what had been originally intended.

Althea Suen, the newly-elected student union leader at HKU, who earlier told Commercial Radio that Hong Kong’s breaking away from China was “a viable option”, clarified to the Post what she meant.

She said she did not at all suggest full independence as the sole end goal. However, she said: “It’s worth discussing.”

Suen added when she contemplated the idea of Hong Kong independence last week, she made the comment not as a student union leader but instead articulated her personal belief. “For now, the HKU student union doesn’t take a stance on it,” she said of the independence question.

READ MORE: Who were the winners and losers in the New Territories East by-election?

Angus Wong Chun-hin, the sole contender in Baptist University’s race, said his cabinet believed it would be an ideal solution for Hong Kong to break away from China, though it was not the only option and that there were limitations.

At the University of Science and Technology, new pro-localist student union president Gloria Chiu Chee-wah said there had yet to be a coordinated discussion at her university over whether Hong Kong should go independent.

She remained “open-minded”, she said, and would follow what her schoolmates supported.

Suen, Chiu and Chow said their idea of localism included safeguarding Hong Kong’s core values and culture, while Suen and Chiu added that ensuring Hongkongers’ priority in accessing local resources would also rank high on their agenda.

For example, they would maintain traditional Chinese characters, as opposed to adopting simplified characters as are used across the border.

In another example, Chow said the copyright bill recently under consideration could be used as a means to repress local internet users.

READ MORE: Civic Party wins New Territories East by-election, but Edward Leung comes a respectable third

The Chinese University student union president also said many localists believed that priority to Hongkongers could be illustrated by more government funding being spent on social welfare rather than on large-scale projects – such as the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail – which they doubted would benefit the city more than it would the mainland.

PolyU assistant professor Chung Kim-wah said it had “become clear” that localism was becoming “increasingly appealing to youngsters”.

Although the sociologist stopped short of saying that localism’s popularity had made it mainstream, he said it was worth noting that localist Legco by-election contender Leung, who not long ago was a political unknown, transformed into someone capable of challenging other pan-democrat candidates in future.

“Localism has definitely expanded on the political spectrum,” Chung said. As a result, he added, it would likely split the pan-democratic camp, further complicating politics in the city.

READ MORE: Powerful people ‘threatened’ radical Hong Kong localist and his family after Mong Kok riots arrest

Political commentator Johnny Lau Yui-siu said whether the localism discourse would gain further traction depended on the local administration and Beijing.

He said the fervour for localism would not subside unless the authorities were willing to soften their stance and identify the cause of the young people’s discontent.

During the by-election, Leung’s Hong Kong Indigenous posters could readily be found posted at university campuses.

Most student leaders the Post spoke to said they witnessed support of and discussion about localism blossoming across campuses.

Baptist University student Jessie Pang Yu-tung said young people were tired of the tepid form of resistance adopted by traditional pan-democrats and that they sought a change of tactics.

READ MORE: On Second Thought: Is Hong Kong losing its moral compass after the Mong Kok riot?

However, although Chow won the Chinese University student union election with 61 per cent of the vote, the turnout rate was only 23 per cent, representing a mere 3,895 votes. Chow said such a turnout was normal.

At the University of Science and Technology, turnout was likewise light at just 21 per cent, with Chiu capturing 1,394 of 1,744 ballots. The newly elected leader claimed, however, the turnout was the university’s highest in years. It has 8,500 students.

Cindy Gu Xinyue, a mainland student at Chinese University, said she and a friend were feeling increasingly excluded by the ever-more-heated discussions.

She said her friend had talked about how to quit Chow’s student union.