Hong Kong business leader Li Ka-shing on Thursday said that Hongkongers will not identify with separatism, and Hong Kong is not entitled to and would find it impossible to get independence.

Li spoke the truth. The fact that Hong Kong is not able to seek independence is as real as the fact that it is not the roof of the world.

When the idea of "Hong Kong independence" was first raised, few people paid attention to it. But now the odor of the slogan comes up more frequently in the streets of Hong Kong. Like it or not, passersby are forced to smell it.

Some said tolerating the existence of the odor is a show of democracy. A few people have been convinced.

In its latest issue, a magazine published by Hong Kong University called for Hong Kong to become a sovereign country recognized by the UN by 2047.

Civic Party's Alan Leong Kah-kit added to this discord, saying "establishing a country" could be an option, though he does not support Hong Kong's independence.

In a country the size of China, separatists are not new. There are people who advocate for the "independence" of Tibet, Xinjiang and Taiwan.

However, the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan has lowered its voice even after its leader Tsai Ing-wen was elected the island's new leader.

Tibetan separatist leader the Dalai Lama always claimed he only insists on a high degree of autonomy in Tibetan areas, instead of seeking independence.

Xinjiang separatist leader Rebiya Kadeer is also trying hard to severe any ties with the Eastern Turkestan Islamic Movement.

Now the Hong Kong separatists are showing their shamelessness. There is no need to list the lack of any political or economic conditions for the possible independence of Hong Kong. Even the independence advocates are clear that the possibility of a success is zero.

Why do they still advocate it? They want to create a false but playable topic. They want to create paranoia and an extreme counter current.

Hong Kong independence may still be a slogan now. But it is predictable that if it becomes more rampant in the future and threatens Hong Kong's stability, it will be targeted by the law sooner or later.

For some people, it is a dilemma whether they should care about the Hong Kong separatists at the moment. It is too flattering to the separatists if people pay attention to them. And it may be seen as indulgence if people do not make any move against them.

But such dilemma will be broken when the separatists go further. If they become poisonous, angry people will overwhelm and remove them.