Hong Kongers are arguably the most experienced emigrants in the world. This may be a dubious distinction but it helps explain why they are so good at it.
There have been a number of migrations from Hong Kong, starting in the 1960s mainly consisting of impoverished people from the New Territories. Then, in the wake of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing, fears of an impending takeover by mainland China prompted another exodus. This has now been far exceeded by the outflow in the past couple of years as white terror spread through Hong Kong.
What makes these waves of emigration stand out is that they largely involve families which had fled to the then British colony following the 1949 Chinese Communist Revolution. In other words, within a single lifetime, families have uprooted and moved themselves more than once. The sons and daughters of Communist Revolution escapees are second and third-generation Hong Kongers, who had no direct experience of living under a repressive regime but belong to families who know first-hand what this entails.
In addition to those who have already departed is a very large group of people who are making preparations to do so by acquiring foreign passports or have investments overseas that can facilitate their departure.
The choice of staying was far more problematic for émigrés who feared the very real prospect of incarceration or had reason to believe that their association with the democracy movement posed a range of risks if they did not leave quickly.
Then there are people from overseas who had made Hong Kong their home but felt the need to go as they were no longer comfortable under the ominous new order.
What unites all parts of the new Hong Kong diaspora is a strong attachment to their former home. It was not easy to leave, and the relief of securing refuge abroad is often tinged with intense regret.
Emigrants the world over experience similar sentiments. What makes Hong Kong exiles different is that they are not fleeing poverty, nor the violence that makes life intolerable. Most decided to go because they treasured liberty and gave a high priority to living within a system where rule of law prevailed.
They have even accepted a lower standard of living so that their children will be free of the political indoctrination which is sweeping through the education system. This is not the migration of the downtrodden but of well-educated and, by and large, people with money.
Decisions about emigration are both painful and intensely personal. This is why criticising those who have chosen to either leave or stay is inappropriate.
Moreover, those of us who left can hardly be pleased to observe the myriad of bad things that are happening. The sharp decline in the economy and the consequences, such as falling property prices, have a serious impact on our friends and relatives still living in Hong Kong, so there is nothing to celebrate.
But what should we be doing in our new homes, aside from the obvious challenges of building a new life and adjusting to the new environment?
Leaving Hong Kong clearly does not mean turning our backs on Hong Kong. We still care about what was left behind, and this implies a heavy responsibility to keep the spirit of Hong Kong alive.
Some people are directly engaged in campaigning for the restoration of freedom, but political campaigning is not for everyone. Others, notably journalists, have taken it upon themselves to fill the news vacuum that has been created by the destruction of Hong Kong’s once lively independent media. News about the city is hard to obtain from within, so it needs to be channelled from outside. The free exchange of views is also near impossible within Hong Kong, so this too needs to come from outside.
Perhaps more widespread, however, is the desire to keep Hong Kong’s distinctive culture alive, precisely because the regime is so determined to create its own version of culture and history.
Fortunately, all signs are that Hong Kong émigrés are enthusiastically taking up this challenge. Hong Kong cultural events are extremely well patronised by the diaspora community. Many parents are keen to preserve the Chinese literacy and distinctive Hong Kong identity of their children, and there are many initiatives to make sure that the new generation does not lose contact with its past.
The diaspora has a great responsibility to ensure that Hong Kong culture survives, because the dictatorship will not last forever and what replaces it will need to rekindle the ashes of what it tried to destroy.