Hong Kong independence Hong Kong independence Hong Kong independence () is a movement that advocates Hong Kong becoming an independent sovereign state. Hong Kong is a special administrative region (SAR) which enjoys a high degree of autonomy under the People's Republic of China (PRC), guaranteed under Article 2 of Hong Kong Basic Law as ratified under the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Since the transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the PRC in 1997, some Hongkongers have been concerned about Beijing's growing encroachment on the territory's freedoms and the failure of the Hong Kong government to deliver "genuine democracy".
Consular missions in Hong Kong transfer of sovereignty, North Korea, which had not been allowed to establish a trade mission in Hong Kong during British rule, was able to open a Consulate-General in February 2000. Similarly, Iran was also able to re-establish its Consulate-General, giving rise to concerns that the country could gain access to arms smuggled through Hong Kong, a free port. This had been closed by the British Government in 1989 following the Rushdie Affair. Bhutan, which did not have diplomatic relations with either Beijing or Taipei at the time of the transfer of sovereignty, was able to maintain an honorary consulate in