When a Chinese astronaut walks in space or China tops the medal list at the Olympics, Hongkongers feel proud of being Chinese. But when they come across a tourist group from mainland in Europe, they decisively draw the line and make it clear that Hongkongers are very distinct from mainlanders.
While the pragmatism in identifying the collective identity of Hongkongers is convenient, it reflects a deeper confusion.
Hongkongers think, deep down in their hearts, that they are culturally Chinese, but they are reluctant to proclaim this, because they consider themselves to be more educated, more industrious and more civilized than their northern siblings.
Besides those finer qualities, the "one country, two systems" architecture lends strong support to this version of self-image.
The institutional distinctions buttress the claim that they are different. Therefore they struggle and oscillate between the national identity and its local counterpart.
The quest for a typical Hongkongers, across nations and races, has always been propelled by the emotional need for belongingness and the practical demand for protection offered by the collective body.
It is perfectly natural for a group of people in a specific locale to exhibit both nationalism and localism, and consequently to recognize themselves in a big picture and reflect their role in a geographic and societal niche.
