The four student unions of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have recently ceased operations due to the university’s refusal to recognize their status and failure to complete the legal registration process. Among them, the Student Union of Wu Yee Sun College wrote in their farewell letter, “The concept of student-staff partnership is dead.”
The “student-staff partnership” at CUHK refers to involving students in university decision-making and management, governing the university together with faculty and staff.
According to reports from the Hong Kong media outlets Ming Pao and HK01, the Student Union of Shaw College at CUHK announced on December 21 that they would cease operations because the university no longer recognized the student union’s status.
Following suit, the Student Union of Wu Yee Sun College at CUHK also announced on December 23 that they would suspend operations until completing their legal registration process. They mentioned that despite numerous negotiations and efforts, the college administration’s decision not to recognize their representativeness made it difficult to fulfill the university’s policy requiring independent registration of student unions.
Among the nine colleges at CUHK, three student unions had already announced their cessation of operations (with Sir Gordon and Lady Ivy Wu Hall Student Union being the first to stop operations last January).
On December 27, the Student Union of New Asia College at CUHK declared their official cessation of operations starting on December 28. Earlier in December, New Asia College at CUHK had discussions on the “Regulation on the Termination of Student Union Operations in 2025”.
In a farewell letter posted on social media by the New Asia College Student Union, they mentioned the ever-changing political landscape in recent years and how the student union’s space diminished, leading to a situation where advocating for justice would be seen as being stagnant or disregarding the actual needs of their fellow students.
The letter also pointed out that the environment had become increasingly suffocating, forcing them to compromise with “overwhelming power.” Despite their efforts to push forward with the registration process for their organization, they were ordered by the university to cease operations, leading them to conclude that “the student-staff partnership is completely dead.”
In response to inquiries from HK01, CUHK stated that only registered student organizations could operate, and they would not recognize individuals or groups claiming to be part of the CUHK Student Union unless they had successfully registered independently according to the Companies Ordinance or the Societies Ordinance.
Ming Pao reported that when asked about whether CUHK does not recognize college student unions and the reasons behind it, CUHK only responded that “only registered student organizations can operate.” The university did not provide answers regarding the number of registered college student unions, who would be responsible for the affairs after the student unions ceased operations, among other questions.
Up to now, four college student unions at CUHK, including New Asia College, have announced the cessation of their operations.
In recent days, the CUHK Student Affairs Office website has removed the names of six college or school student unions that had not completed independent registration, listing only the Sunrise College Student Union and the S.H. Ho College Student Union that had already registered independently according to the Societies Ordinance.
Fung Ka Keung, former president of the United College Student Union and former General Secretary of the HKPTU, posted on social media questioning the sudden move by the university to not recognize the student unions without giving a final deadline after years of requesting independent registration. He raised concerns that this action might be related to the arrest of CUHK students distributing leaflets following the massive fire at the Hong Lok Yuen housing estate, where at least 161 people died, 79 were injured, and several others were still missing. In response to the incident, citizens mobilized to assist and laid flowers to mourn the victims. Meanwhile, accountability actions have been ongoing, with some CUHK students initiating a “Four Demands” petition seeking an independent investigation into the fire, only to be swiftly detained by the National Security Department of the police.