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Chan Kin-wa

China’s newly passed national anthem law will be put to the test in Hong Kong as the city takes on Laos in an international friendly at Mong Kok Stadium on Thursday.
Hong Kong are preparing for next Tuesday’s crucial 2019 Asian Cup qualifier against Malaysia – but more attention will be focused on the fans’ behaviour than the action on the pitch.
In recent years, a section of the team’s fans have regularly booed China’s national anthem before games in protest.

Last month China passed a law declaring disrespect for the anthem illegal.
The National People’s Congress stated “attendees at events where the anthem is played are required to stand up straight and remain solemn for the song under the law”.
As China bans national anthem ‘disrespect’, how will Hong Kong football fans react in match just before key Communist Party meeting?
While offenders in mainland China are liable to 15 days in police detention, Hong Kong citizens will not be affected immediately as the law has yet to be incorporated into local legislation.
The match against Laos is the first international soccer game in Hong Kong in which national anthems will be played beforehand since the law was adopted by the mainland.
Last month some Hong Kong fans vowed to defy the law.
But the Hong Kong Football Association said it was treating the match as “business as usual”, according to its chairman Brian Leung Hung-tak.

“We won’t put up any extra security measures for the match nor make any public appeal to the fans, it’s just one of those international matches between Hong Kong and another country and we welcome the fans to support Hong Kong,” he said.
“The booing of the national anthem by the fans has been less seen and it’s certainly not a big concern as our focus is on the performance of the Hong Kong team.”
HKFA chief executive Mark Sutcliffe did not divulge details of their security plans, only saying “we will be taking all of the usual precautions”.
The Power of Hong Kong, a key supporters’ group, said it would put the interest of the Hong Kong team first.

“We come to the match to support the Hong Kong team and not boo the national anthem,” said the group’s spokesman.
“We don’t care about the new law as it’s not our business.”
The recent trend of booing the anthem began two years ago in the wake of the Occupy protests and the Hong Kong Football Association was fined twice by Fifa for the fans’ behaviour.
Meanwhile, coach Kim Pan-gon says he will try to give all his players some minutes against Laos as he tries both to prepare for the Asian Cup qualifier and build for the future.
“It is difficult to achieve two aims but this is my responsibility as the national team coach,” he said. “The young players need international exposure to grow but result is also important. We’ll see and hopefully the situation can allow us to do this.”
Homegrown talents such as Wong Wai, Lo Kong-wai, James Ha, Tsui Wang-kit, Tan Chun-lok and Wu Chun-ming are in line to take over the baton, but Kim will rely on his naturalised players to get results in the near future.
Newly selected Jorge Tarres, Daniel Cancela and Fernando Recio, all of whom obtained Hong Kong passports on Tuesday, are set to get their first international caps against Laos.


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Anti-mainland China sentiments

This Hong Kong soccer match is set to be first major test for China’s new ‘respect the national anthem’ law

A Hong Kong Fan waves a flag at Mong Kok Stadium, scene of regular booing of the China national anthem.. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong fans cheer their team during a world cup qualifier at Mong Kok stadium in Hong Kong on November 17, 2015. Hong Kong fans booed the anthem they share with China on Tuesday while some turned their backs and held up "boo" signs in a show of defiance before a crunch World Cup football qualifier with their mainland rivals. AFP PHOTO / ISAAC LAWRENCE

Chinese fans hold their national flag as they listen to their national anthem prior to the start of the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualification football match between Qatar and China at the Jassim Bin Hamed Stadium in Doha on September 5, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / KARIM JAAFAR

Hong Kong fans hold up signs that read "Boo" while the national anthem was being played during a world cup qualifier at Mong Kok stadium in Hong Kong on November 17, 2015. Hong Kong fans booed the anthem they share with China on Tuesday while some turned their backs and held up "boo" signs in a show of defiance before a crunch World Cup football qualifier with their mainland rivals.. AFP PHOTO / ISAAC LAWRENCE

As China bans national anthem ‘disrespect’, how will Hong Kong football fans react in match just before key Communist Party meeting?

Hong Kong fans hold up signs that read “Boo” while the national anthem was being played back in 2015. More ‘creative’ responses to the new national anthem law are likely next October. Photo: AFP PHOTO

(170110) -- NANNING, Jan. 10, 2016 (XINHUA) -- Players of China listen to the national anthem before the match between China and Iceland at 2017 China Cup International Football Championship in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on Jan. 10, 2017. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

(FILES) This file photo taken on March 15, 2017 shows Chinese leaders, including (2nd row from bottom L-R) Yu Zhengsheng, President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, Liu Yunshan and Zhang Gaoli, singing the national anthem during the closing ceremony of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's rubber-stamp legislature, in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. China is fine-tuning legislation on the proper way and place to sing its national anthem, tightening rules that already bar people from belting it out at parties, weddings and funerals. / AFP PHOTO / Greg Baker

Hong Kong fans gesture as the Chinese football team takes to the pitch during a world cup qualifier at Mong Kok stadium in Hong Kong on November 17, 2015. Hong Kong fans booed the anthem they share with China on Tuesday while some turned their backs and held up "boo" signs in a show of defiance before a crunch World Cup football qualifier with their mainland rivals. AFP PHOTO / ISAAC LAWRENCE

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor meets the media at Central Government Offices in Tamar. 21AUG17 SCMP / Dickson Lee

A Hong Kong Fan waves a flag that reads "Die for Hong Kong" during a world cup qualifier at Mong Kok stadium in Hong Kong on November 17, 2015. Hong Kong fans booed the anthem they share with China on Tuesday while some turned their backs and held up "boo" signs in a show of defiance before a crunch World Cup football qualifier with their mainland rivals.. AFP PHOTO / ISAAC LAWRENCE

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International friendly against Laos on Thursday takes place at Mong Kok Stadium, the scene of booing in the past


AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifying