Today Hong Kong, Tomorrow Taiwan was a slogan used during Taiwan's Sunflower Student Movement in April 2014, expressing concerns over Taiwan's future relationship with China and drawing parallels with developments in Hong Kong after its handover to China.
The slogan emphasized the need for Taiwan to be cautious about potential negative impacts of the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement (CSSTA), including the risk of economic dependency on China. The movement highlighted issues in Hong Kong, such as suppressed wages, the property bubble, worsening wealth inequality, Beijing's influence on Hong Kong's policies and conflicts between mainland China and Hong Kong across various sectors. Eventually, this slogan became a symbol of the shared destiny of Hong Kong and Taiwan.
, the founder of , a monthly magazine, reflected on the 30-year evolution of the phrase, comparing Hong Kong's development in the 17 years post-handover with developments in Taiwan. He noted that while Taiwan's democracy seemed unimpressive and its economic development lagged behind mainland China and Hong Kong, Taiwan's civil society was maturing with greater autonomy. This contrasted with the regression seen in Hong Kong's civil society and government institutions under pressure from the Chinese Communist Party and mainland Chinese interests.「今日香港，明日台灣」的30年變遷 〝"Hong Kong has been back for nearly 17 years. In these 17 years, Taiwan has stumbled along its democratic path, experiencing changes in political parties that seem rather unimpressive. Economically, it also appears to lag behind mainland China and Hong Kong. However, the civil society that was once lacking in Taiwan has gradually been improving, with a growing sense of autonomy among the people and a stronger awareness of the need to protect their homeland.While the mainland's economy has soared, its society has become increasingly decayed, marked by the selfishness and greed of its people, who show no concern for society and have developed a chillingly cold attitude toward others, to the point of ignoring those in need or distress. Under the encroachment of the Chinese Communist Party and mainland interests, Hong Kong has also regressed from a once vibrant civil society. The Independent Commission Against Corruption, the police force, and many government agencies have opted for selective law enforcement under political interference, with the respected spirit of professionalism facing political pressure and core values constantly challenged.The once resilient spirit of Hong Kong has been replaced by despair and helplessness. Today, the streets are crowded with mainland tourists and their inferior culture, raising questions about whether we can still say, as we did 30 years ago, that intellectuals can speak without compromising their safety? Or, as Bai Yang said, is it true that public urination only happens at night or when there are fewer people and vehicles on the streets?" The Sunflower Movement resonated amongst Hongkongers, who shared messages of support and sympathy through Facebook and was heavily covered in local news.《視點31》今日香港，明日台灣？ (RTHK31：25/03/2014)
In response to the 2014 Sunflower Movement, another slogan emerged: "Today Taiwan, Tomorrow Hong Kong." The president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong's Student Union, Tommy Cheung Sau-yin, suggested that after Taiwan using Hong Kong's situation as a warning, it was probable that Hong Kong would experience its own social movement, possibly following a similar model. He predicted Hong Kong could use similar protest tactics to prepare for the occupation of Central, with Taiwan's protests serving as a template for Hong Kong. The Sunflower Movement, sparked by the CSSTA, reminded Hongkongers of the negative feelings they had towards the Mainland and Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA).
According to Ta Kung Pao, Hong Kong opposition groups threatened to adopt the methods of Taiwan's Sunflower Movement to occupy the Hong Kong Legislative Council, under the slogan "Today's Taiwan, Tomorrow's Hong Kong". Commentator described Hong Kong as a "demonstration unit" where, after being reclaimed by mainland China, human rights, freedoms, and the rule of law were replaced by the slogan "Love Socialist China". He hoped Taiwan would become a model for Hongkongers to emulate in their own struggle, flipping the narrative to "Today's Taiwan, Tomorrow's Hong Kong".
The same year the happened in Hong Kong.
In Japan, a new slogan was adapted from the phrase: "Today Hong Kong, Tomorrow Taiwan, Day After Tomorrow Okinawa".
See also Sunflower Student Movement Umbrella Movement
References Citations