Given the traditional emphasis on academic achievement in a Confucius-heritage society, schooling has been one of the key elements of new Chinese learners in Hong Kong in their construction of self-identity. This article addresses the identity issues of two young Mainland Chinese immigrant students and one cross-boundary student (CBS), a resident of Shenzhen who is attending a Hong Kong school on a daily basis. They are in their first, second or third year of schooling in Hong Kong. By using a narrative approach, the educational experiences and family backgrounds of the three students are highlighted and analysed. All three students reveal a keen sense of aspiration and are actively involved in the appraisal of their own personal identity. Positive educational experiences and parental support are two predominant factors that affect their general perceptions of their new schooling and self-identity in Hong Kong. Whether they identify themselves as Hong Kong people or Mainlanders, is subject to their parents' views, their own expectations and personal understanding of the meaning of citizenship.
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