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| 1968: Destroying a Vietnamese village in order to save it |
Numbskull US Congressmen are doing the same to us here in Hong Kong. Punishing Beijing (they think) by punishing us. Making us less of an independent entity, when their aim is to make us more of an independent entity (assuming the best of their intentions, which😔). To save our independence by destroying our independence. Saving us by destroying us.
The latest is calls for US companies to boycott a Financial gathering here in November. Earlier, it was calls from the US Trade representative to nullify the independent international treatments we have. Which are many. Because...
We’re not like any other city in China, no matter the delusions of US lawmakers. We have a hard border with China, we have our own hard currency, we run our own policies (except Foreign Affairs and Defence, which have always been run by our sovereign ever since British rule in 1841), we have freedom of speech, we have freedom of the internet, we have freedom to travel, freedom of religion. Our government decides on all local policies, like social services, housing, taxation, infrastructure. We are independent members of global bodies, like the World Trade Organisation, the Olympics, the International Postal Union, the IMF. We have our Seven Freedoms.
What the numbskulls in the US are doing --- even if they have the best of intentions, which I’m not sure of -- is to make us more of “just another Chinese city”, not less. They harm what they mean to help. (Assuming they mean to help, which I’m not so sure of). If they mean to help it’s another case of “the road to hell...”. Though I suspect they’re just playing to their home audiences. Making themselves look better (“tough on China”) but harming us in the process.
Dear American Congresspersons: Could you please butt out of our local Hong Kong affairs? Better do nothing than the decidedly unhelpful nonsense you now do.
I don’t often agree with Alex Lo, but he makes a good point in his “My Take” today:
It’s an oft-repeated claim that Hong Kong is becoming just another mainland city. If only that were true! Bosses of the country’s most important cities usually show more independence and competence. [Link]
In short: local city mayors in China are often more independent than our own Chief Executive. That was for sure the case with the Mayor of Shanghai back when I lived there: Zhu Rongji. He was immensely impressive. I met him on several occasions, both as businessman and as diplomat (I was Senior Trade Commissioner in Shanghai in the 90s). He turned Shanghai into a modern city while keeping the old colonial relics on the waterfront -- all the old architecture of the Germans, French, British, in the late 19th century, in all their Shanghai “concessions”. The main street, Nanjing Lu, has been pedestrianised; while we in HK can’t pedestrianise even the most obvious places.
Good job, Mayor Zhu!
I would welcome a have a Zhu here in Hong Kong any day. Appointed or elected, fine.
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| Pudong, East Shanghai, 12 October 2013, taken from 8th Floor Peace Hotel, with my mate Steve Padgham. In 1976 this was nothing |
