By Yoyo Ko Wai-yin, December 22, 2014
高慧然 2014年12月22日
Translated by The Real Hong Kong News
Hong Kong’s pan-Democratic veteran Martin Lee asserted that the vast majority of Hong Kong is patriotic. I have no idea where he got this conclusion from. We can infer that the subject of his ‘patriotism’ was China. 李柱銘強調絕大多數香港人都是愛國的。不知道他怎樣得出這個結論？相信李柱銘所指的國，是中國。
Clearly we already have enough research indicating that our majority do not regard themselves as Chinese. So how do Hongkongers who do not see themselves as Chinese love China? After the Umbrella Revolution, I am increasingly convinced that more Hongkongers love Hong Kong rather than China. 但明明不少調查報告指出大比數香港人不認同自己的中國人身份。不認同中國人身份的香港人，如何去愛中國這個國？雨傘運動後，我有更充足理由相信，更多的香港人愛香港，而非愛中國。
Martin Lee was once my idol and one of my ideal CE candidates. And his prestige as a barrister once implied, in the midst of the state and region, that his priorities lay with duty and responsibility, rather than abstract emotions. 李柱銘曾經是我偶像，我眼中香港特首其中一個最佳人選，他的大律師身份令我深信，在人類與他們生存的國家或地區之間，李柱銘必定會強調責任與義務的關係，而非抽象的情感關係。
If emotions were the focus, then the state bears all the responsibility for loving its citizens, whereas citizens are not required to return the love. Respect for the Rule of Law, abiding the law, and fulfilling necessary duties are already sufficient for any citizen. 如果一定要講感情，那麼，國家有責任愛國民，國民卻沒必要愛國家，作為國民，只要尊重法治、遵紀守法、盡公民責任，那就足夠了。
If a state deserves respect, people will naturally be drawn towards it. Otherwise people will claim their love but never walk the talk, and quite honestly, flee. Just by looking at the reality in China, we can imagine how ‘patriotic’ the yes-men in the People’s Congress are by looking at their nationalities. 一個國家值得人愛，國民自然會去愛她。否則，口中說愛，身體卻很誠實地逃離──看看中國現狀便知一二，別說尋常國民，問問每年坐在中國人民大會堂舉手的那些人，他們的國籍便知他們有多麼熱愛中國。
The state and the Party are inseparable in modern China. Just like a yin-yeung* in a cha chaan teng**, where the milk tea is inseparable with the coffee. I only like coffee but not tea, but all you have is a yin-yeung, and that’s the reality. 現實中國，黨國不分，就像一杯港式茶餐廳的熱鴛鴦，你能把咖啡和奶茶分離出來嗎？我獨愛咖啡不愛奶茶，但面前只有一杯鴛鴦。這就是現狀。
My next question is: if I don’t like either coffee or tea, and definitely not yin-yeung, can I do that? A free man has the right to choose whether or not to love something. I love neither the 5000-year-old burden-stricken historical China nor the one-Party-rules-it-all China. Alright? 我的另一個問題是，我既不愛奶茶也不愛咖啡，更不愛鴛鴦，可以嗎？人有選擇愛與不愛的自由，不論你眼中的中國是背負五千年悠久文化或沉重包袱的中國，抑或今天黨國不分的中國，我都不愛，行不行？
Editor’s Note
*Yin-yeung: a classic drink served in Cha Chaan Teng loved by many Hongkongers – it’s a mixture of Hong Kong-style milk tea and coffee
**Cha chaan teng: independent local casual eateries scattered around Hong Kong, which serve simple and fast dishes ranging from stir fried noodles to localised Western meal like mixed-grill.