¡i©ú³ø±M°T¡jLocalism refers to the deep sense of identity shared by people of a region. Keen to safeguard their culture and values, they are determined to act in the interest of their local community and resist the impact of outsiders and their culture.

Hong Kongers treasure their culture

According to a survey conducted between February and April 2016 by the think tank Path of Democracy, more than 60 percent of Hong Kong people believed that protecting "localism" meant preserving Hong Kong people's lifestyle, culture and history. Only around 10 percent of respondents thought that protecting "localism" meant "Hong Kong's independence".

However, in the 18 to 29 age group, around 20 percent of young people thought that protecting "localism" was the same as "Hong Kong's independence". Ronny Tong, convenor of Path of Democracy, said the survey showed that the mainstream of society still refused to resort to violence and that localism was not the same as Hong Kong's independence.

"Ill-intentioned" vaccines in Shandong ¡Ñ Restriction imposed by Hong Kong

In March 2016, after the incident of Shandong's "ill-intentioned vaccines" was exposed, detailed guides to get vaccinations in Hong Kong began circulating on mainland China's websites. Hong Kong parents were worried that an influx of mainlanders might lead to a shortage of vaccines in the same way mainlanders put Hong Kong's infant formula into short supply after incidents of poisonous powdered formula that happened several years previously.

The HK Department of Health, admitting that Hong Kong vaccination services had been "somewhat affected", restricted the number of new cases of non-local children treatable by Hong Kong's Maternal and Child Health Centres to 120 a month. Some paediatrists think that as the services of Maternal and Child Health Centres are funded with public money, the government should issue a complete restriction on non-local cases.

US tariffs on Chinese steel

Imported goods increase competition in the domestic market and affect domestic industries. In the US's steel industry, for example, 12,000 workers lost their jobs in 2015 alone owing to the import of low-cost steel from China. In May 2016, the US government imposed a 522-percent tariff on Chinese steel. Prices of specific types of steel from China went up five times.

Extreme localism ¡Ñ Xenophobia

The stronger the sense of self-identity and belonging of people, the greater their cohesion. Yet, they are also more vulnerable to extremism and xenophobia. In recent years, as waves of refugees from the Middle East have arrived in Europe to flee war, the continent has been plagued by religious conflicts and concerns over security and the allocation of resources. This has led to the rise of far-right politics in many countries.

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