THE CROWN COLONY WAVE

Hong Kong nationalism (Chinese: 香港民族主義 or 香港主義) is a system of thought that spans the folklore, culture, history, geography, society, and politics of Hong Kong. It reflects a strong desire to protect democracy in Hong Kong, to oppose mainlandization, and to preserve local Hong Kong identity.[2] As such, many Hong Kong nationalists are opposed to Chinese state nationalism (中國國家主義).[3]

Hong Kong nationalism is generally considered a new phenomenon. The self-identification of the Hong Kong people became considered as nationalism when local discourse developed claims of self-determination, autonomy and varying degrees of separation from China.[4]

History
See also: Anti-communism in China § Hong Kong, and Localism in Hong Kong
Tens of thousands of people moved to Hong Kong in 1949 to escape the Chinese Communist Revolution. The population of Hong Kong increased from 1.8 million in 1947 to 2.2 million in 1951. As many mainland Chinese fled to Hong Kong over the next 30 years, the population of Hong Kong increased by 1 million every 10 years. Those who experienced hunger and political struggle under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) internalized stronger anti-communist sentiments than Hong Kongers who didn't experience CCP rule.[5]

A distinct sense of Hong Kong identity existed since the 1970s, but Hong Kong nationalist sentiment didn't significantly appear until the Tiananmen massacre of 1989.[4] Both the Tiananmen massacre and the pro-democracy movement in colonial Hong Kong strengthened feelings of division between Hong Kong and mainland China.[4]

Since the 2010s, the Hong Kong nationalist movement has emerged as the "localist camp".[6]

Criticism
See also: Anti-Chinese sentiment and Racism in China § In Hong Kong
Some media outlets have criticized the anti-mainland China sentiment that exists inside Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, in part for its provocation of Chinese nationalists among the mainland population. Some have claimed that this enables Chinese Communist Party leadership to reap political gains through a hardline stance.[7]