Kelvin Lee should have been a posterchild for the integration of Hong Kong and China. Born in 1990, the Hong Konger’s father gave him a Chinese name incorporating the word “hope”, reflecting a belief that the handover of the British colony to China in 1997 would improve life on both sides of the border.
Mr Lee grew up with a love of Chinese history and culture, and used to work as an insurance broker for one of the many mainland companies that have been expanding in Hong Kong. But China’s increasing squeeze on Hong Kong’s autonomy, freedoms and way of life turned him from apolitical finance worker to activist.
“I still think Chinese culture is very beautiful but we are Hong Kong people who live in Hong Kong so we have to keep our own culture,” says Mr Lee, who recently quit his insurance job to work as a community organiser. “People want independence so they won’t have to be afraid about the influence of the Chinese government.”