In the case where 47 pro-democracy figures were charged with “conspiracy to subvert state power,” the second batch of defendants found guilty, who participated in the primaries for the Hong Kong Island district, processed their plea for mitigation on Tuesday (2nd). Representing Fergus Leung Fong-wai, senior barrister Robert Pang Yiu-hung read a plea letter personally written by Leung in court. He mentioned being born at the time of Hong Kong’s sovereignty handover and encountering a “new stage” in Hong Kong at each graduation, such as the SARS outbreak, the Umbrella Movement, and the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement, describing it as “I deeply feel that my fate is tightly linked with Hong Kong’s.” He also stated, “I have never lost faith in Hong Kong or its people.”

In the 2020 Legislative Council election, I used the slogan “sharing weal and woe, braving the winds and tides”. It is not an emotional slogan fit for chanting at rallies or marches. It combines my personal feelings and aspirations for Hong Kong. As someone born in the year of the handover, our generation is often humorously referred to as the “cursed children”. Every time we stepped into a new stage of life, Hong Kong was hit by an epidemic or some significant events – SARS at kindergarten graduation; swine flu at primary school graduation; the Umbrella Movement in high school; when we entered into society after graduating from university, there were the anti-extradition movement and the pandemic of the century. In this process of sharing Hong Kong’s joy and grief, I deeply feel that my fate is tightly linked with Hong Kong’s.

Hong Kong is where I grew up; it’s the stage for all kinds of experiences and the cradle of values that I hold dear. I realise that I cannot easily sever ties with Hong Kong nor tolerate being a bystander here. No matter what kind of life I live in the future, I will continue to share weal and woe with Hong Kong – cheering for its successes and feeling downcast about its decline. Since 2019, Hong Kong has been facing complex and difficult situations; many people feel lost about the city’s future. However, I have never lost faith in Hong Kong or its people. With our love for this land and the spirit inherited from our predecessors, I believe Hong Kong will be able to brave the strong winds, overcoming current challenges and other unknown difficulties. As long as I am alive, building a better Hong Kong will always be my lifelong aspiration.