In mainland China, the national anthem “March of the Volunteers” has always been a national symbol, but in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the national anthem follows the Chinese national anthem. Since Hong Kong’s return to China, the national anthem has been one of the important symbols of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, representing Hong Kong as an inalienable part of China. However, the international status of Hong Kong national anthem has been questioned and disputed. This article will explore the international status of Hong Kong national anthem and analyze the historical and cultural background behind it.

 

Historical Background of Hong Kong National Anthem

After Hong Kong returned to China, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government held a flag-raising and national anthem ceremony on July 1, 1997, officially declaring Hong Kong’s return to China. The Hong Kong SAR government passed the “Regulations on the National Anthem of the People’s Republic of China” in 2005, which clearly stipulates the procedures and norms for holding the national anthem ceremony in Hong Kong.

However, Hong Kong’s political environment and cultural background are very different from mainland China, which has also led to questioning and controversy about the status of Hong Kong national anthem internationally. The Hong Kong SAR government has been working hard to improve the status of the national anthem in Hong Kong, but it has encountered some opposition.

 

The international status of the Hong Kong national anthem

Internationally, the status of Hong Kong national anthem has always been relatively low. Because the Hong Kong SAR government has encountered many difficulties and challenges in the process of implementing the “one country, two systems” policy, and on some international occasions, the Hong Kong delegation has no right to play its own national anthem. This has also led to questioning and controversy about the international status of Hong Kong national anthem.

However, as China’s status in the international arena grows, so does the status of Hong Kong national anthem. On some international occasions, the Hong Kong SAR government has already won the right to play the national anthem. These are all important signs of Hong Kong’s rising international status.

 

Cultural Background of Hong Kong National Anthem

The lyrics of the national anthem were composed by Tian Han. “March of the Volunteers” was originally the theme song of the movie “Children of the Storm” with the theme of anti-Japanese and national salvation. “March of the Volunteers” was deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and played a role in uniting people’s hearts and inspiring morale during the War of Resistance Against Japan. “March of the Volunteers” has a clear rhythm, high-pitched tunes, majestic and powerful, and shows the courageous and indomitable fighting spirit of the Chinese nation. These are the excellent cultural traditions of the Chinese nation, and also the values that Hong Kong should uphold as an inalienable part of China.

However, because the cultural backgrounds of Hong Kong and mainland China are very different, some Hong Kong people have relatively low acceptance of the national anthem. They believe that the national anthem is a symbol of mainland China and is not friendly to Hong Kong people. This is one of the reasons why the international status of Hong Kong national anthem has been questioned and disputed.

 

Summarize

In short, the international status of Hong Kong national anthem is a very complicated issue. Although the Hong Kong SAR government has obtained the right to play the national anthem on some international occasions, many people still question and dispute the status of the Hong Kong national anthem. This also reflects the differences in the cultural backgrounds of Hong Kong and mainland China, as well as the challenges faced by the Hong Kong SAR government in implementing the “one country, two systems” policy. It is hoped that in the future development, the Hong Kong national anthem can gain better international recognition and status.