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Hong Kong universities and students have been warned against campus conversations about independence.

At the Chinese University of Hong Kong, ¡°which saw clashes last year amid renewed calls for Hong Kong to break away from China, student leaders at an event to herald the start of a new academic year insisted they had a right to talk about sovereignty over the city¡±, the South China Morning Post .

But Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, Hong Kong¡¯s secretary for education, said: ¡°There is no need to discuss or reaffirm one¡¯s views on Hong Kong independence at university inauguration ceremonies. It is not an appropriate occasion.¡±

Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, chief secretary for administration in the Hong Kong government, said: ¡°Hong Kong is a place with freedom of speech, but there is absolutely no space for Hong Kong independence.¡±

The comments came after Cheung Yam, the president of the Education University of Hong Kong¡¯s students¡¯ union provisional executive council, said during an inauguration ceremony that ¡°Hong Kong independence is the only way to build a place that is truly based on the interests of Hongkongers¡±.

An Education University spokeswoman said that the institution ¡°deeply regrets¡± and ¡°condemns¡± the council¡¯s decision to advocate independence.

john.morgan@timeshighereducation.com