What Are People From Hong Kong Called? Learn This Before Traveling Here
If you’re traveling to or moving to Hong Kong, you might be unsure of what exactly to refer to the local Hong Kong population as and want to avoid offending someone by accidentally referring to them as ‘Chinese’ or ‘British’. That’s completely understandable due to confusion over Hong Kong’s Special Administrative Region (SAR) status, previous positioning as a British Colony (up until 1997), and its official 1997 “return” to China.
People who are considered ‘nationals’ of Hong Kong are commonly referred to as ‘Hong Kongers’, ‘Hongkongers’, and ‘Hong Kongese’ in English – the latter two actually being solidified in the Cambridge Dictionary in 2014. In Chinese, the term to refer to a Hongkonger is ‘香港人’ – Hèung Góng Yàhn in Cantonese and ‘Xiāng Gǎng Rén’ in Mandarin Chinese. Both literally translate to ‘Hong Kong person’ or ‘person from Hong Kong’.
Having lived in Hong Kong for six-plus years, the amount of times I’ve ever heard someone referred to as ‘Hong Kongese’ can be counted on one hand.
It’s also not uncommon to hear some locals refer to themselves as ‘Cantonese’ due to it being the official language (alongside English) amongst the local population. However, as a baseline rule, I would steer away from referring to Hong Kongers as ‘Chinese’ (especially amongst younger generations) as this is a highly contentious topic due to the volatile political landscape and drastically different histories, economies, languages, passports, and cultures. One 2019 University of Hong Kong study found that an estimated 90% of Hongkongers in the 18-29 age group definitively answered “No,” to the question “Are you proud to be a national citizen of China?”
What makes the concept of a ‘Hongkonger’ interesting is that being considered a Hong Kong national is not solely based on simply being born in the country, rather it is primarily driven by an individual’s ancestry.
But that opens up the floodgates right there – so what exactly is considered a Hong Kong national?
Defining What It Means to Be a Hong Kong National
Under both articles 4 and 5 of the Nationality Law of the People’s Republic of China, “All individuals of ethnic Chinese origin who possess the right of abode in either region and were born in a Chinese territory are considered Chinese nationals.” This further extends to those whose parents are not official Hong Kong nationals.
Article 7 of the Nationality Law addresses the naturalization of individuals not granted Hong Kong (and Chinese) nationality at birth. Further, individuals with immediate family who:
- Are considered Hong Kong nationals,
- Have settled permanently in Hong Kong, or
- Possess “other legitimate reasons” may naturalize (granted, one must renounce their original nationality before doing so).
Doing so entitles them to the same rights as an individual who was granted Hong Kong (or Chinese) nationality at birth.
A key provision in this law is that individuals must renounce their original nationality due to the nationality law’s preclusion of holding two passports. However, it’s not unusual to stumble across more than a handful of Hong Kongers who possess both a Hong Kong passport and a foreign passport.
An Interesting Tidbit About Hong Kongers Who Hold a British Passport or BNO Passport
When reading through Appendix 2 of the Nationality Law on Hong Kong Immigration’s website and found this provision to be particularly interesting (or concerning?). In the context of individuals who hold either a ‘British Dependent Territories Citizens passport’ or a ‘British Nationals (Overseas) passport’, “…they shall not be entitled to British consular protection in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and other parts of the People’s Republic of China on account of their holding the above mentioned British travel documents.”
I won’t go too deep into this and may be interpreting it incorrectly but I would just mention that if you think simply holding a foreign passport (specifically a British passport) grants you any legal protection from the enforcement of arbitrary detention or other legal consequences set forth by the Mainland, then I would think again.
A Non-Ethnic Chinese Friend Who Became an Official Hong Konger
It’s undeniable that most associate a high correlation between ethnic origin and one’s country. However, there are some outliers that might just catch you by surprise.
One of my best friends is of ethnic Indian origin – initially born in South India but grew up in Hong Kong for nearly his entire life (meaning he had permanent residency) – became an official Hong Konger and Hong Kong national after renouncing his Indian nationality. He has a Hong Kong passport, a Chinese name, and a love for Hong Kong like no other.
He naturalized under the second prong listed above, “having settled permanently in Hong Kong,” mainly because this was (and is) his home where he has spent the majority of his life and identifies as being from Hong Kong.
I do, however, suspect that it may be tougher to become an official Chinese national due to Mainland China’s ethnically homogeneous society, one that has remained relatively unperturbed and free from “foreign interference.” Hong Kong, on the other hand, having been a British Colony, is a multicultural metropolis and melting pot – and has been for a healthy percentage of its history.
What Makes a True Hongkonger?
This is just meant to be a fun little post to shed some light on my home. I’ve lived here for six-plus years and love stepping foot out of the door every single day. There’s a palpable energy, efficiency, and intensity that drives this city and makes it one of the most unique cities in the world.
Maybe this is naive and cliche but I do generally believe that anyone who lives in Hong Kong, cares about the city, the culture, and the people, and strives to make a positive impact is a ‘Hong Konger’ – regardless of ethnicity, color of skin, or creed. Maybe not by legal definition but by heart.
I won’t go too far down the rabbit hole with the term ‘Lion Rock Spirit’ as it may be used by competing groups in Hong Kong’s current political landscape – those who distinctly assert their independent and unique identity (absent of Mainland and CCP allegiance) and those who support the Mainland. But I would recommend that you give it a read if you’re curious to learn for yourself.
I’d love to hear from you in the comments what you think makes an official ‘Hongkonger’. Further, if you’re considering moving to Hong Kong or are planning a trip here, and have any questions (about anything Hong Kong), I’d be more than happy to answer them. Don’t hesitate to reach out via my contact form or in the comments.
Stay well everyone,
Big Body
Big Body is a voracious lov…eater, a cowardly fighter, and a self-proclaimed curry goat BBQ-eating champion (don’t forget the donkey milk) who likes Stoicism, baseball, and writing in the third person. Having worked for himself for the last 7 years, he isn’t particularly successful but he does still drink ice-cold Sapporo draft beers with the best of them and knows his way around a Dai Pai Dong or two. He is based in Hong Kong but you can still find him in Saigon, Osaka, and Vienna for extended periods.