Stay vigilant against separatism

It should be noted that this kind of collusion between separatist politicians in Hong Kong and Taiwan has been going on for quite some time now but became more frequent after the illegal "Occupy Central" movement in fall 2014, which can be seen as a copy of the Sunflower Student Movement in Taiwan about half a year earlier. Their painstaking efforts not to mention the word "independence" and focus on "democracy" instead this time only makes them sound even phonier than they already are, because both sides favor separatism at home.

The separatists from Hong Kong are open advocates of "self-determination", which includes independence as an option. They are Legislative Council members Nathan Law Kwun-chung, Eddie Chu Hoi-dick and Raymond Chan Chi-chuen, and student activists Joshua Wong Chi-fung and Alex Chow Yong-kang. All of them are leading figures in the radical factions of the opposition camp and played key roles in "Occupy Central". They have been taking cover under the guise of "localism" or "nativism". Now their separatist intent has only become more pronounced by joining forces with their Taiwan counterparts.

Members of Hong Kong society must remain vigilant against separatist attempts no matter what disguise they use, such as "self-determination" and even "true democracy", which merely serve as excuses or pave the way for further steps toward "independence".

The majority of Hong Kong people fully know separatism is a dead end. Such advocacy could only derail the smooth implementation of "One Country, Two Systems", undermining the city's prosperity and stability to the detriment of society's overall interests. But young people, particularly students - who are intrinsically idealistic and impulsive - are vulnerable to separatist notions and campaigns, which are often wrapped with layers of romantic idealism. Schools therefore have a significant role to play in equipping young students with the ability to discern and resist those pernicious ideas.

Tighter collaboration between Hong Kong separatists and their peers in Taiwan once again reminds society that the move to enact national security legislation according to Article 23 of the Basic Law has taken on added urgency.