Uh, Sochi? Hong Kong No Longer Uses Colonial British Flag [UPDATE: It's Photoshopped]

Wrong Hong Kong flag

For the last 38 years of Hong Kong’s existence as a British colony, a very British-looking flag flew over the city, featuring a cartoonish lion/dragon insignia and some rather ugly red text (HONG KONG) on yellow background. That flag was retired on July 1, 1997, after the handover ceremony, in favor of a red flag featuring a white five-petal bauhinia flower.

Someone in Sochi didn’t get the memo.

Hong Kong flag mishap Sochi 2

That screenshot was tweeted by Tom Grundy via @HKCitizenNews. We’re not sure if it completely deserves the #SochiProblems hashtag because who knows who was working in the Olympics TV production truck at the time, but it raises the same fundamental questions: How is it that anyone still has the old British Hong Kong flag on file? And what Google search would possibly not turn up the new red-and-white flag?

You know what… #BritishProblems. Just throw it into the pile.

UPDATE, 2/11, 12:27 am: Hong Wrong reports, “However, TVB and Oriental Daily reported that the image was – in fact – photoshopped…” Apologies to Sochi. #BritishProblems can stay.

    2 Responses to “Uh, Sochi? Hong Kong No Longer Uses Colonial British Flag [UPDATE: It's Photoshopped]”

    1. Martin

      If you were to actually ask a few native Hongkongers (rather than mainland transplants), they would heartily attest that this is the ONLY flag worthy of representing Hong Kong. For once at least, Sochi’s got it right.

      Reply
    2. HT

      I agree with Martin. You’re way off-base. Many HKers still view the navy ensign as their real flag, hardly “cartoonish.”

      I know the hordes of mainlander tourists do get a raw deal from nativist HKers, but it’s just as stupid to insult the entire community back.

      Reply

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