Hong Kong patriots: vague definition will leave door open to Cultural-Revolution-style attacks

A Beijing-ordered overhaul of Hong Kong’s electoral structure, set to be unveiled at the two sessions, will centre on a wide-ranging requirement of patriotism

This can easily be used by Beijing loyalists as a pretext to target opponents, as illustrated by the recent attack on a Hong Kong official

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The national and Hong Kong flags fly outside government headquarters in Admiralty, Hong Kong, in August 2020. The quest for democracy and support for Beijing’s sovereignty over Hong Kong are not mutually exclusive. Photo: Bloomberg

Michael Chugani

Michael Chugani is a Hong Kong journalist and TV show host

Published: 6:45am, 4 Mar 2021Updated: 6:45am, 4 Mar 2021

Keep hope alive. That was former US president Barack Obama’s campaign slogan. Keeping hope alive is not a hurdle in democracies. Those who loathe Donald Trump proved it by voting him out. Those who idolise him proved it by jam-packing a rally where Trump hinted at a comeback.

It requires courage to keep hope alive in authoritarian regimes. Yet the people of Myanmar are doing that, some by losing their lives, after a military coup toppled the government.

I kept hope alive by believing Beijing would allow Hong Kong to move gradually towards true democracy. I reluctantly backed the government’s 2015 reform package, based on Beijing’s 2014 framework, as a first step. The opposition, which voted it down, labelled me a blue ribbon.

Now the blue ribbons, who comprise Beijing’s loyalist camp, say I have defected to the pro-democracy’s yellow camp, which opposes Beijing’s tightening grip on Hong Kong.