My Take | Horace Chin, ‘father of localism’, draws red line against secession
The key issue is whether Hong Kong, as a special administrative region, should be viewed as something like Shenzhen or Macau, or more like Singapore
“The independence movement is the common enemy of all Hong Kong people.”
You would never guess who wrote it – Horace Chin Wan-kan, who is often called the father of localism. He especially singled out Chan Ho-tin, founder of the Hong Kong National Party, and Edward Leung Tin-kei of Hong Kong Indigenous, in an article in the Chinese-language, anti-government website Stand News this week.
I can’t believe it, but Chin actually offers a subtle analysis of why those who advocate independence have brought untold damage to Hong Kong.
His argument, if I understand him correctly, is that secessionists like Chan essentially make Hong Kong people out to be a separate ethnic entity from the rest of China. By turning Hongkongers into a bona fide ethnic minority fighting for independence or self-determination, they are practically inviting the central government to intervene.
They also encourage patriotic mainlanders to hate or at least suspect Hong Kong people who might think they are not part of the Han race. In his previous writings, Chin has argued that a fully democratic China would produce even more patriotic mainland Chinese bent on taking an imperialistic stance over Hong Kong.
