Hong Kong Indigenous is a
localist
Localism describes a range of political philosophies which prioritize the local. Generally, localism supports local production and consumption of goods, local control of government, and promotion of local history, local culture and local identi ...
political group established in 2015.
It is known for its hardline localist stances and militant methods of protesting.
It has been actively involved in protests and engaged into violent clashes with police, including in the
anti-parallel trading protests
Anti-parallel trading protests () took place in Hong Kong between 2012 and 2015, and again in 2019, against parallel traders importing goods from Hong Kong to Mainland China. Protestors claim that parallel trading has caused a shortage of hous ...
and the
Mong Kok unrest.
Edward Leung
Edward Leung Tin-kei ( zh, t=梁天琦; born 2 June 1991) is a Hong Kong politician and activist. He is the former spokesperson of Hong Kong Indigenous, a localist group. He advocates Hong Kong independence, and coined the slogan "Liberate ...
and
Ray Wong
Ray Wong Toi-yeung (; born 15 September 1993) is a Hong Kong activist. He founded the localist group Hong Kong Indigenous with other activists who were dissatisfied with the efficacy of Hong Kong's mainstream democratic movement during the 20 ...
are the former convenor and key figure of the group.
Beliefs
Hong Kong Indigenous states that it opposes the increased influence of mainland China and the Beijing government's involvement in Hong Kong. It opposes the increased use of
standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese ()—in linguistics Standard Northern Mandarin or Standard Beijing Mandarin, in common speech simply Mandarin, better qualified as Standard Mandarin, Modern Standard Mandarin or Standard Mandarin Chinese—is a modern standar ...
in Hong Kong schools instead of the native
Cantonese
Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding are ...
. It also claims that the growing number of
mainland migrants – due to the issuing of one-way travel permits to mainlanders over which Hong Kong has no control whatsoever – would have the effect of "diluting the ratio of local people" and depriving the locals' resources," especially in primary schools, public housing and certain jobs. It argues that a mainland "incursion" is stripping residents of their identity and rights.
The group has criticised the
pan-democracy camp
The pro-democracy camp, also known as the pan-democracy camp, is a political alignment in Hong Kong that supports increased democracy, namely the universal suffrage of the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council as given by the Basic L ...
's "gentle approach" of non-violent
civil disobedience
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders or commands of a government (or any other authority). By some definitions, civil disobedience has to be nonviolent to be called "civil". Hen ...
and calls for a "militant" approach by "bravery and force".
The group pushes for secession from China.
History
Hong Kong Indigenous was set up by a group of youngsters who participated in the
2014 Hong Kong protests
A series of sit-in street protests, often called the Umbrella Revolution and sometimes used interchangeably with Umbrella Movement, or Occupy Movement, occurred in Hong Kong from 26 September to 15 December 2014.
The protests began after ...
in January 2015. It organised
anti-parallel trading protests
Anti-parallel trading protests () took place in Hong Kong between 2012 and 2015, and again in 2019, against parallel traders importing goods from Hong Kong to Mainland China. Protestors claim that parallel trading has caused a shortage of hous ...
with another nativist group
Civic Passion
Civic Passion was a radical, populist, localist, and nativist political party in Hong Kong. Founded by Wong Yeung-tat as an activist group in 2012, it held strong localist views and opposed the involvement of the Chinese government in the ...
against the growing influx of mainland Chinese shoppers engaging in
parallel trading in early 2015, aggressively picketing the alleged shoppers and having clashes with the police. After the third demonstration, the central government said it would restrict Shenzhen residents to one visit a week.
In July 2015, Hong Kong Indigenous marched to the
Immigration Department
The Immigration Department of the Government of Hong Kong is responsible for immigration control of Hong Kong. After the People's Republic of China assumed sovereignty of the territory in July 1997, Hong Kong's immigration system remained l ...
to demand deportation of an undocumented 12-year-old Mainland boy Siu Yau-wai, who lived in Hong Kong for nine years without identification, with other
nativists
Nativism is the political policy of promoting or protecting the interests of native or indigenous inhabitants over those of immigrants, including the support of immigration-restriction measures.
In scholarly studies, ''nativism'' is a standard ...
including
Youngspiration
Youngspiration is a localist political party in Hong Kong founded in 2015. It emerged after the 2014 Hong Kong protests (often dubbed as the "Umbrella Revolution") with an agenda of protection of Hong Kong people's interests and culture against ...
.
In January 2016, the group announced the candidacy of its 24 year old member
Edward Leung
Edward Leung Tin-kei ( zh, t=梁天琦; born 2 June 1991) is a Hong Kong politician and activist. He is the former spokesperson of Hong Kong Indigenous, a localist group. He advocates Hong Kong independence, and coined the slogan "Liberate ...
Tin-kei for the
2016 New Territories East by-election
The 2016 New Territories East by-election was held on 28 February 2016 after the incumbent Legislative Councillor Ronny Tong Ka-wah of New Territories East quit the Civic Party and resigned from the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (LegCo), effect ...
which was triggered by the resignation of Civic Party legislator
Ronny Tong
Ronny Tong Ka-wah, SC KC (; born 28 August 1950 in Hong Kong) is a Hong Kong Senior Counsel and politician. He is a current non-official member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong. He co-founded the Civic Party and was a member of the Legis ...
. Leung received 66,524 votes, about 15 percent of the total votes, behind
pan-democratic Civic Party
The Civic Party (CP) is a pro-democracy liberal political party in Hong Kong. It is currently chaired by barrister Alan Leong.
The party was formed in 2006 on the basis of the Basic Law Article 45 Concern Group, which was derived from the B ...
and
pro-Beijing
The pro-Beijing camp, pro-establishment camp, pro-government camp or pro-China camp refers to a political alignment in Hong Kong which generally supports the policies of the Beijing central government and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) t ...
. The better-than-expected result was considered a big boost for the localist cause.
In February 2016, the group was actively involved in
violent clashes with police in Mong Kok arising from the group's call for action to protect illegal street hawkers from a government crackdown.
Spokesman and Legislative Council by-election candidate Edward Leung Tin-kei and around 20 members and volunteers of the group were arrested. Convenor
Ray Wong
Ray Wong Toi-yeung (; born 15 September 1993) is a Hong Kong activist. He founded the localist group Hong Kong Indigenous with other activists who were dissatisfied with the efficacy of Hong Kong's mainstream democratic movement during the 20 ...
Toi-yeung dismissed the claim that they incited the violent clashes and stated that they were only there to defend the street hawkers.
In the
2016 Legislative Council election, Edward Leung intended to run in once again New Territories East. The
Electoral Affairs Commission
The Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) is the body, established under the Electoral Affairs Commission Ordinance, that oversees electoral matters in Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Adminis ...
(EAC) carried out a new election measure, requiring all candidates to sign an additional "confirmation form" in the nomination to declare their understanding of Hong Kong being an inalienable part of China as stipulated in the
Basic Law of Hong Kong
The Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China is a national law of China that serves as the organic law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Comprising nine chapters, 160 ar ...
.
Leung initially refused to sign the form but later agreed to sign the form after the court refused to immediately hear the
judicial review
Judicial review is a process under which executive, legislative and administrative actions are subject to review by the judiciary. A court with authority for judicial review may invalidate laws, acts and governmental actions that are incompat ...
. Leung was banned along with five other pro-independence activists after the end of the nomination period.
In November 2017, Ray Wong who was charged for instigating riot, joint incitement and inciting others to take part in an unlawful assembly failed to report to the police and return his travel documents to the court on 22 November after a judge-approved trip to Europe on condition of a HK$100,000 cash bail. The High Court issued an arrest warrant. According to pro-Beijing newspaper ''
Wen Wei Po
''Wen Wei Po'' is a pro-Beijing State media, state-owned newspapers in Hong Kong, newspaper based in Hong Kong. The newspaper was established in Hong Kong on 9 September 1948, after Wenhui Bao, its Shanghai edition was launched in 1938.
Its h ...
'', Wong had absconded to the UK.
On 18 December 2017, Edward Leung announced his departure from the Hong Kong Indigenous as spokesman ahead of his trial of instigating riot among other charges.
See also
*
Localism in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, localism is a political movement centered on the preservation of the city's autonomy and local culture. The Hong Kong localist movement encompasses a variety of groups with different goals, but all of them oppose the perceived grow ...
*
Hong Kong National Party
The Hong Kong National Party was a localist political party in Hong Kong. It was the first political party in Hong Kong to advocate for Hong Kong independence. The Hong Kong National Party is also the first political party to be outlawed since ...
*
Youngspiration
Youngspiration is a localist political party in Hong Kong founded in 2015. It emerged after the 2014 Hong Kong protests (often dubbed as the "Umbrella Revolution") with an agenda of protection of Hong Kong people's interests and culture against ...
References
{{Hong Kong political parties
2015 establishments in Hong Kong
Political organisations based in Hong Kong
Localist parties in Hong Kong