UNPO is expanding its network of solidarity and advocacy partnerships through its new Peoples’ Friends framework. As part of this initiative, we are delighted to welcome the people of Hong Kong. This collaboration aims to enhance our capacity to address global challenges through inclusive, strategic cooperation, always adhering to the core principles of self-determination, non-violence, democratic pluralism, human rights, and environmental protection.
The people of Hong Kong are a culturally distinct community with deep historical ties to their territory. Hongkongers have developed a unique identity shaped by decades of British colonial rule and the post 1997 “One Country, Two Systems” arrangement with the People’s Republic of China. The majority of the people of Hong Kong identify themselves as Hongkongers instead of Chinese or British.
Hong Kong was an insignificant and sparsely populated fishing port until it was ceded by the Qing dynasty to the British in 1842. Under British rule, Hong Kong evolved into a global city with strong institutions and civic culture. The 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration promised Hongkongers a “high degree of autonomy”, however, in 1997, the British transferred Hong Kong’s sovereignty to China. The people of Hong Kong were never granted a genuine right to self-determination, and no referendum was held on their political future.
Since 2019, Hongkongers have protested against the amendment of the extradition law that would blur the judicial boundaries between Hong Kong and mainland China. These peaceful protests have been met with escalating repression. Mass pro-democracy protests were met with increasing violence, and the introduction of the National Security Law on Hong Kong (2020) and Article 23 legislation (2024) has effectively outlawed dissidents and human rights defenders. Democratic institutions have been dismantled, civil society disbanded, and only Beijing-approved candidates may contest elections.
Since Hong Kong’s sovereignty was transferred to China in 1997, and particularly over the past decade, China has intensified its efforts to erase Hong Kong’s distinct identity and undermine its core values. Once promised protection under international treaty, Hongkongers now face systematic silencing and exclusion.
The UNPO will be collaborating with the European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance (EHKDA) in strategic solidarity with the people of Hong Kong. EHKDA is a coalition of grassroots diaspora organisations and individuals – you can find more information about the people of Hong Kong and EHKDA here.
