Hate it when you can't talk back? Well, you can with Young Post. Have your say and share with students around Hong Kong
Isabella Livia Tsang, 13, True Light Girls' College
Though I'd like to see a Hong Kong army some day, I don't think it's a good idea.
First, Hong Kong is not a sovereign state, so having its own army is against the law. I also believe Beijing wouldn't allow any sort of independence for Hong Kong, so forming our own army is out of the question.
Besides, the central government has been handling military and diplomatic affairs since the handover so we don't have any experience of such matters. Also, Beijing would want to tighten their grip on Hong Kong to ensure there are no "rebellions" here. Hong Kong is just not able to have an army right now.
Kaur Mukhjot, 16, St Margaret's Girls' College, Hong Kong
Hong Kong having its own army? Are you joking? What would you need a local army here for? Hong Kong is not a war-torn city and the chances of us being attacked by a foreign force are very slim.
Although I agree that having our own army would create a lot of job opportunities for Hongkongers, the disadvantages would outweigh the benefits. I wouldn't want to make Beijing angry. So I think we should leave military matters to the People's Liberation Army.
Asif Kainaat, 16, HKTA The Yuen Yuen Institute No 3 Secondary School
I believe in safety first, so Hong Kong should have its own army. The major advantage of having a strong military is that countries around the world will respect us and will think twice before starting a conflict with us. We would also have more influence in international negotiations and diplomacy.
For example, when Russia annexed Crimea, in Ukraine, in 2014, the US could do nothing but simply impose economic sanctions on Russia. If Russia were a weak country, the Americans would have invaded it by now.
Saad Mahmood, 15, HKTA The Yuen Yuen Institute No 3 Secondary School
Hong Kong shouldn't have its own army because the Basic Law says so. According to Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Legislative Council can pass laws for all areas except defence and foreign affairs.
We don't need an army because we are a part of China, and if we face any dangers, Beijing will always help us. The PLA has a base in Hong Kong just for that purpose.
An army usually protects a country, not small cities like Hong Kong and Macau.
I think we can carry on like this until 2047. We should stick to the Basic Law and allow Beijing to handle our diplomatic and defence affairs.
Vannessa Kwok Nga-yu, 15, Law Ting Pong Secondary School
It is not necessary for Hong Kong to have an army. But if we do, Hongkongers will need to pay more taxes to support the army and buy things like weapons, warships and aircraft.
With Hong Kong's ageing population, we need to spend a lot of money to support the elderly. Having an army is a huge waste of money. Also, if a lot of young people become soldiers, who is going to run the city and ensure economic development?
Worse still, if youngsters join the army, they will be separated from their friends and families. Soldiers mostly stay in their camps and cannot go home very often. Instead of training young people to fight wars, why don't we let them do something truly meaningful?
When we get back from the Lunar New Year break, Talking Points will discuss:
What makes you a Hongkonger?
We are now accepting answers from readers for this new topic. To take part, email your answer with your name, age and school, along with a nice, clear selfie (make sure it's not blurry), to [email protected] by lunchtime on Monday, February 15. Be sure to include "Talking Points" in the subject line.