Throughout the history of Hong Kong, the anthem of the ruling sovereign state has always been adopted for use in an official capacity and played on occasions such as major sporting events or ceremonies.
"March of the Volunteers" has been adopted for official use and played at major sporting events and ceremonies of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region internationally, since the handover of Hong Kong in 1997.[4][5][6][7]
The national anthem of the People's Republic of China is protected by statute in Hong Kong under the National Anthem Ordinance, and has since begun broadcasting regularly on radio[8] and television stations including TVB, RTHK, ViuTV and HOY TV before the main news or morning news programmes as mandated by the Hong Kong government since the introduction of the Ordinance in 2020.[9]
As a dependent entity—during British rule from 1841 to 1997, during the Japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945, and currently ruled by China—the anthem of the ruling sovereign state has been adopted for official use.
"God Save the King" (alternatively "God Save the Queen" when the British monarch was female), the national anthem of United Kingdom, was used in an official capacity as the representative anthem of British Hong Kong internationally from 1841 to 1941 and from 1945 to 1997.
"Glory to Hong Kong", a protest song by "Thomas dgx yhl" and netizens on LIHKG that was widely popular during the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests, with some Hongkongers and supporters of democracy in Hong Kong considering the song an anthem that reflects the identity of Hong Kong.[13][14][15] For a long time it was the top result on Google search for "national anthem of Hong Kong," which supposedly contributed to its accidental and controversial playing as the anthem of Hong Kong at several international sports events.[16][17][18]
