Since the Handover of Hong Kong in 1997, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has adopted "March of the Volunteers," the national anthem of the People's Republic of China, to be sung as the representative anthem of the Hong Kong SAR. [1] [2] The national anthem of the People's Republic of China is protected by statute in Hong Kong under the National Anthem Ordinance. [3]
Throughout the history of Hong Kong, the anthem of the ruling sovereign state has always been adopted for use in an official capacity and played on occasions such as major sporting events or ceremonies.
"March of the Volunteers" has been adopted for official use and played at major sporting events and ceremonies of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region internationally, since the handover of Hong Kong in 1997. [4] [5] [6] [7]
The national anthem of the People's Republic of China is protected by statute in Hong Kong under the National Anthem Ordinance, and has since begun broadcasting regularly on radio [8] and television stations including TVB, RTHK, ViuTV and HOY TV before the main news or morning news programmes as mandated by the Hong Kong government since the introduction of the Ordinance in 2020. [9]
Timeline of Hong Kong representative anthems | ||||||||||||
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As a dependent entity—during British rule from 1841 to 1997, during the Japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945, and currently ruled by China—the anthem of the ruling sovereign state has been adopted for official use.
The "March of the Volunteers", originally titled the "March of the Anti-Manchukuo Counter-Japan Volunteers", has been the official national anthem of the People's Republic of China since 1978. Unlike previous Chinese state anthems, it was written entirely in vernacular Chinese, rather than in Classical Chinese.
The Regional Flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China depicts a white stylised five-petal Hong Kong orchid tree flower in the centre of a Chinese red field. Its original design was unveiled on 4 April 1990 at the Third Session of the Seventh National People's Congress. The current design was approved on 10 August 1996 at the Fourth Plenum of the Preparatory Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The precise use of the flag is regulated by laws passed by the 58th executive meeting of the State Council held in Beijing. The design of the flag is enshrined in Hong Kong's Basic Law, the territory's constitutional document, and regulations regarding the use, prohibition of use, desecration, and manufacture of the flag are stated in the Regional Flag and Regional Emblem Ordinance. The flag of Hong Kong was officially adopted and hoisted on 1 July 1997, during the handover ceremony marking the handover from the United Kingdom back to China.
The region of Hong Kong has been inhabited since the Old Stone Age, later becoming part of the Chinese Empire with its loose incorporation into the Qin dynasty. Starting out as a farming fishing village and salt production site, it became an important free port and eventually a major international financial center.
The People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison is a garrison of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), responsible for defence duties in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) since the handover of Hong Kong in 1997.
The Hong Kong University Students' Union was a student union founded in 1912 and registered under the Societies Ordinance in Hong Kong. It was the officially recognised undergraduate student representative body of The University of Hong Kong until 13 July 2021 after the union's council passed a motion in memorial to a deceased assailant who attacked and severely stabbed a police officer on the street.
The handover of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China was at midnight on 1 July 1997. This event ended 156 years of British rule in the former colony, which began in 1841.
The handover ceremony of Hong Kong in 1997 officially marked the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the People's Republic of China. It was an internationally televised event with the ceremony commencing on the night of 30 June 1997 and finishing on the morning of 1 July 1997. The ceremony was held at the new wing of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island.
Chan Kin-por, GBS, JP is a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. He became chairman of the Legco Finance Committee in 2015. He has been appointed as Executive Council Member in 2022.
The national flag of the People's Republic of China, also known as the Five-star Red Flag, is a Chinese red field with five golden stars charged at the canton. The design features one large star, with four smaller stars in an arc set off towards the fly. It has been the national flag of China since the foundation of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949. The flag was designed by Zeng Liansong.
Hong Kong–United Kingdom relations are the international relations between the post-colonial Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. Hong Kong was a British colony from 1841 to 1941 and again from 1945 to 1997 when sovereignty was handed over to China. UK policy towards Hong Kong is underpinned by its substantial commercial interests, and fulfilling obligation as the other signatory of Sino–British Joint Declaration on the future of Hong Kong, in addition to support Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, and in accordance with China's policy of observing "one country, two systems". Hong Kong is also home to roughly 2.9 million British National (Overseas)s, 350,000 of which hold an active British passport, giving it one of the largest populations of British passport holders in the world behind only the Anglosphere Commonwealth realms and the United States.
"Below the Lion Rock" is a Cantopop song by Hong Kong singer Roman Tam. It was composed and arranged by Joseph Koo, with lyrics written by James Wong. It was written and used as the theme song of RTHK's TV show of the same name in 1979.
The flag of Hong Kong from 1871 to 1997 was a Blue Ensign with the coat of arms of Hong Kong on a white disk. In Hong Kong, it is known as the Hong Kong flag (香港旗), British Hong Kong flag (英屬香港旗) or the Dragon and Lion flag (龍獅旗). In 1959, following a grant from the College of Arms and with the consent of Queen Elizabeth II, it was adopted as the flag of British Hong Kong. While the flag lost its official status following the 1 July 1997 transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong, it resurfaced in the 2010s as a symbol of support for Hong Kong autonomy and protest against Chinese interference in Hong Kong.
The China–Hong Kong football rivalry is a sports rivalry between the national association football teams of the People's Republic of China (mainland) and Hong Kong. The rivalry has been exacerbated by Hong Kong's status as a Special Administrative Region of China, with major political and ideological differences than on the mainland, a legacy of having been under British colonial rule until the transfer of sovereignty in 1997.
The National Anthem Ordinance is an ordinance of Hong Kong intended to criminalise "insults to the national anthem of China". It is a local law in response to the National Anthem Law of the People’s Republic of China.
Activists and artists taking part in the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests use artwork, painting, music, and other forms of artistic expression as a tactic to help spread awareness about the events that have happened in the city. Individuals who create protest art are commonly referred to as the "publicity group" (文宣組). Creating protest art is seen as a peaceful, alternative way for citizens to express their views without participating in protests. Most members work under pseudonyms to protect their identity and stay in line with the movement's leaderless nature.
"Glory to Hong Kong" is a protest anthem that was composed and written by a musician under the pseudonym "Thomas dgx yhl", with the contribution of a group of Hongkonger netizens from the online forum LIHKG during the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests. It was initially written in Cantonese and was eventually developed into various language versions starting with English.
"Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times" is a slogan used by social movements in Hong Kong. The slogan was first used in 2016 by Hong Kong Indigenous spokesman Edward Leung as his campaign theme and slogan for the 2016 New Territories East by-election. He emphasised that anyone could take part in innovation and change regardless of age, hence the use of the phrase "revolution of our times." In the legislative election held later that year, Youngspiration, which was cooperating with Hong Kong Indigenous as Leung was banned from running by the Electoral Affairs Commission, also used the slogan for their campaign.
Hong Kong Reunification Ordinance, in short Reunification Ordinance, is a legislation of Hong Kong passed by the Provisional Legislative Council on 1 July 1997, the day of handover, to provide for the continuation of the administration of justice and the public service and to provide for associated matters to ensure the continuity of the social order of Hong Kong.
"Queen's Road East" is a song by Taiwanese singer-songwriter Lo Ta-yu, featuring Hong Kong singer Ram Chiang. It was released on 23 January 1991 as the title track of Lo's Cantonese-language compilation album of the same name. The song was composed by Lo and written by Hong Kong lyricist Albert Leung. It is named after Queen's Road East, a street in Hong Kong, and satirically expresses the anxiety felt by the city's residents over the impending handover of Hong Kong in 1997.
The National Anthem of Hong Kong may refer to: