Commentary
After Nottingham, I was invited to speak at Solihull, one of the last places in England that presented their Hong Kong March cultural festival. Among the speakers was Timothy Bateman, an activist who helps new immigrants, including those from Hong Kong, settle and integrate into the community.
He shared his observations on Hong Kong’s culture, such as its fondness for hiking and more women being involved in community services than men.
One of his observations really struck me. Bateman said that one thing made him very sad about Hongkongers—they define themselves in negative terms. This observation comes from a statement that Hongkongers have been saying for the past few years: “Hong Kong is not China.” He hopes that Hongkongers will use more positive definitions….