Britain’s queen delivered a remarkable speech to her subjects that resulted in worldwide coverage and approval. No doubt Britain’s 67 million citizens were the target audience, but since COVID-19 is a worldwide pandemic, her speech certainly resonated around the globe, Hong Kong included.

Her Majesty’s speech was aimed at raising national morale during the current “challenging time” that everyone has to face. It is bringing disruptions to the life of the country, “grief to some, financial difficulties to many, and enormous changes to the daily lives of us all”. She reaffirmed her government’s advice that Britons should “stay home, protect the National Health System and save lives” during this time of national hardship. Unfortunately, there are always a few selfish individuals who make unnecessary journeys and attend gatherings without any consideration of the risk of catching the virus or infecting others. Their thoughtless behavior may also endanger people with underlying illnesses who are more vulnerable. Overall, it is good to see that most Britons are showing restraint; the law-abiding nature of the majority exceeds the number of those who act recklessly and irresponsibly.

In comparison, Hong Kong’s population of 7.5 million is less than London’s 9.3 million. As far as COVID-19 mortality rates are concerned, Hong Kong fares much better, with only four deaths compared to London’s 600. Nevertheless, great vigilance is required to ensure infections and death rates are kept low in both cities. Some unsettling incidents occurred in Hong Kong in recent days that are extremely disturbing, if not dangerous. People have been ignoring the importance of social distancing and continuing to visit bars and karaoke venues; there have also been cases of large numbers of people meeting — as if they are above the law. These acts are risky and irresponsible.

The promotion of a “citizenship spirit” in Hong Kong during this difficult time will certainly enable its citizens to discover a sense of pride. It is time for the SAR to reflect on how its citizens can support and help those less fortunate than themselves. We need to develop self-help, mutual aid and neighborhood networks in the community

If Britain’s parliamentarians can practice social distancing and its cabinet can meet online, why does one of Hong Kong’s legislators believe social-distancing rules do not apply to her when she organized a “private” meeting with 40 others? Catching the virus is no laughing matter, and there are many examples in Britain in which politicians, celebrities and members of the royal family who have developed COVID-19 symptoms adhered to official advice to “stay home”.

The queen asked the nation to be “united and resolute” so Britain can overcome the disease. Adopting this “can do” attitude could certainly apply to Hong Kong’s current political and social situation. In Britain, the queen was attempting to mobilize a “national spirit” among her subjects, whereas in Hong Kong, it will be helpful if the administration encourages a “citizenship spirit” — this will certainly ensure the city becomes more at ease with itself.

This year marks the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China and as a special administrative region under the “one country, two systems” arrangement. Twenty-three years is more than a coming-of-age for a person, so we need to ask whether Hong Kong and its people are mature enough to ensure the principle of “one country, two systems” is being implemented fully. Too often, the SAR’s freedom has been manipulated by people using words such as “democracy”, “freedom” and “independence” to hide their attempts to destabilize Hong Kong with support from external saboteurs.

There are quite a lot of similarities between London and Hong Kong. London has 32 boroughs with a total population of 9.3 million, and Hong Kong has 18 districts with an estimated population of 7.5 million. London’s population is more diverse than Hong Kong’s. Despite this diversity, London somehow managed to demonstrate over the last couple of months that its citizens were able to unite when faced with a crisis. It was not because the queen is the nation’s sovereign, but because the spirit of a shared destiny is understood by everyone.

The promotion of a “citizenship spirit” in Hong Kong during this difficult time will certainly enable its citizens to discover a sense of pride. It is time for the SAR to reflect on how its citizens can support and help those less fortunate than themselves. We need to develop self-help, mutual aid and neighborhood networks in the community. We should ask people to really look out for those in need. This will certainly help achieve the ideals expressed by the queen, when she said “The pride in who we are is not a part of our past; it defines our present and our future.” 

Let the citizenship spirit commence.

The author was the first-ever Chinese British citizen to be elected mayor of the Greater London Borough of Redbridge (2009-10) and served as a member of the city council for 13 years. 

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.