Rise in Voices for Hong Kong Independence: The Emergence of a New Battle for Hong Kong Universities

Abstract

This chapter turns to the third repercussion of Occupy Central on public universities by examining the rapid rise of pro-independence voices in Hong Kong society and university campuses after the occupation, and how local and central authorities and universities responded to students’ advocacy and promotion thereof. The chapter shows that, after the failure of Occupy Central , a number of Hong Kong people, particularly young people (including university students and graduates), shifted their political goal to attaining either Hong Kong’s self-determination within, or political independence from, CPC-led China. At the societal level, pro-independence localist youth political groups use different strategies and tactics to attain their new political goal, while pro-independence students conceptualized and promoted campus activities advocating Hong Kong independence . University heads, bowing to government pressure, warned students against the display and spread of independence messages on campus. One HKU academic who was an Occupy Central cofounder continued exploring China’s political future, including the possibility of Hong Kong independence , subjecting himself to official condemnation and severe political attacks by pro-establishment forces and media.