'Coded to Chinese': Hongkongers unable to list their ancestry on census night

Hongkongers in Australia are voicing frustration over the national census's classification of their ancestry. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) codes individuals with Hong Kong ancestry under the broader 'Chinese' category, a move that activists argue fails to acknowledge a distinct identity. Kevin Yam, an Australian citizen born in Hong Kong, plans to write 'Hongkonger' on his census form, despite it not being a recognized option. He questions why country of birth and language spoken at home are captured, but not a distinct ancestral identity. Yam, a former lawyer and pro-democracy activist, believes this classification is nonsensical given the unique experiences of Hongkongers.

Jane Poon, president of the Australia-Hong Kong Link community group, has been advocating for a separate 'Hongkonger' ancestry category for five years. As a third-generation Hongkonger, she emphasizes the importance of recognizing their unique identity, which she feels is being imposed upon by a 'Chinese' label. Poon highlights that this identity is shaped by over 150 years of British rule, distinct education systems, and different political structures compared to mainland China.

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If you can say that you're born in Hong Kong and you can say that you speak Cantonese at home, then why can't you say that Hong Konger is your ancestry?

The distinction is further underscored by linguistic differences, with Hongkongers using traditional Chinese characters and speaking Cantonese, unlike the simplified characters and Mandarin prevalent in mainland China. The handover of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China in 1997, under the 'one country, two systems' framework, promised the preservation of its distinct capitalist and political system for 50 years. However, recent political turmoil has intensified the desire among Hongkongers to assert their unique cultural identity, a sentiment that gained significant momentum during the 2019 mass protests against perceived encroachments on the territory's autonomy.

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We treasure our own identities and also hope that others, [whether] it's the Australian government or other people, recognise and acknowledge our own identity, not just imposing [a Chinese] identity over us.