Hongkonger voices heard and explored
1 October 2026
A senior lecturer in Literatures and Visual Cultures recently shared findings from her research at an event for Hongkongers living in Wales.
Dr Elaine Chung was invited to speak at Voices of Hongkongers on 22 August at Cardiff Central Library, an event organised by Hongkongers in Britain, an independent, non-partisan community-led organisation supporting Hongkongers in the UK.
Dr Chung’s work explores the 2026 Senedd election and how recent Hong Kong migrants in Wales understood and made voting decisions at the time. She explores the different considerations behind their political choices, including British National (Overseas) status and immigration policy, Hong Kong and China, public services, as well as Welsh language and culture. Dr Chung’s findings showed how Hongkonger identity remains an important collective political identity, while intersecting with developing senses of belonging to Britain and Wales.
Dr Chung’s research opened into a wider public discussion where she posed questions and facilitated conversations about how Hongkongers can participate in politics beyond voting, including taking part in community activities, communicating with elected representatives, joining political parties, and even standing for election themselves.
Participants reflected on how political participation can be shaped by and contribute to, their identities and sense of belonging as ethnic minority migrants living in Wales.
Ka Long Tung, Community Engagement Officer (Wales) at Hongkongers in Britain: "This event was a safe space for Hongkongers to discuss their diverse political views. Participants also reflected on their identity as both Hongkongers and migrants and how they could make their voices heard. I believe the event would have an impact on Hongkongers' participation in Welsh civil society."
Reflecting on the event, Dr Chung highlighted the value of bringing research about Hongkongers back into the community itself. Sharing findings with the people whose experiences the research seeks to understand gives community members an opportunity to respond to, challenge and add to the research, while opening up further conversations about civic participation, identity and belonging.
As part of the Voices of Hongkongers series, the Cardiff event also created a space for Hongkongers to discuss not only developments in Hong Kong, but their changing roles as residents and participants in British and Welsh society. More broadly, it highlighted the value of research grounded in the political views and experiences of ethnic minority migrant communities in an increasingly multicultural Wales.
