The concept of Hong Kong independence is no more a taboo for Hong Kong’s youngsters. Since the spread of localism in their minds, a political organisation labelling this idea finally comes into being.

Hong Kong National Party (HKNP) – the first political organisation aiming at HK independence launched over the weekend. Mr Chan Ho-tin (陳浩天), the Convener of HKNP, claims the HK independence is irreversable, and his party aims at establishing an independent republic of Hong Kong by any means.

“The guiding principle of HKNP is ‘A Self-Reliant Nation. An Independent Hong Kong.’, and our ultimate goal is to abolish Basic Law, establish a HK constitution, free HK from CCP’s colonialism and bring HK people back to normal life.

HK is still a colony

Being asked whether the guiding principle violates the Basic Law, Mr Chan admits it may contradict Article 1: ‘The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is an inalienable part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’.

“While Hong Kong was ceded to Great Britain by Qing dynasty of China in 1841 (ratified by Treaty of Nanking in 1842), The People’s Republic of China doesn’t even exist. That is to say ‘the cell (of PRC) is yet to be formed’.” What Mr Chan says is explicitly replying the words of Mr Zhang Junsheng, the former Deputy Director of Xinhua News Agency Hong Kong Branch, who earlier this month mocked HK young people, claiming ‘A cell was on their bodies was not even formed at that time’ when the Basic Law was being drafted.

“In 1997, the suzerainty over HK was just transferred from Great Britain to PRC. Hong Kong is still a colony,” he insists.

Beijing oppression is expected

Except a few HKNP members who helps organise the press conference, Mr Chan is the only one who met the media. Most members did not show at the press conference. Mr Chan reveals that the party now has about 30 to 50 members, with most of them being higher education students and young professionals under the age of 30. According to him, the party is financed by its own members.

Responding to a question over likely oppression from Beijing, Mr Chan says he does not fear something that is already expected.

Pan-dems not the target

Regarding the party’s future plans, Mr Chan says he will participate in various protests that can facilitate the course of Hong Kong independence. For Mr Chan, taking the initiative to hurt others is not an option, but if Hong Kong people’s personal and property safety is at risk, the party will resist the threat with an equivalent level of violence.

Mr Chan says the party is considering running in September’s Legislative Council general election, and is willing to work with localist groups over their protest and election efforts. The party, however, has no intention to target the pan-democrats in the election, citing its disinterest in the latter.

Mr Chan says the party was refused registration by the Companies Registry for ‘political reasons’ and they are now following up the issue.

From HKFS withdrawal to HK independence



Mr Chan is a graduate of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU)’s Faculty of Engineering and was the convenor of a concern group which eventually pushed the HKPU Students’ Union to withdraw from the Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS). He is also a member of a student-led organisation, ‘Common Sense’, which holds public talks in Mongkok every Saturday. On top of that, he was once a host of a radio programme on localist online media platform My Radio.