Amid the outcry over officials’ careless remarks, a mandatory vaccine proposal and compulsory Covid-19 testing, the government must think carefully about its basis for targeting certain groups.
With anti-Asian attacks rising around the world, racism is a concern for those thinking of moving to the UK. Without working to make Britain more inclusive, the socio-economic discontent that led to Brexit could target settlers from Hong Kong.
2020 was a watershed for Hong Kong, with the introduction of the national security law and others that will strengthen its sense of belonging to China. Some Hongkongers will leave, but they will be replaced by others drawn to the possibilities of change.
Although British chivalric orders have given way to Hong Kong’s own honours, such as the Order of the Grand Bauhinia, the system remains a problematic symbol of inequality and social divisiveness, and needs to be revamped.
The 2009 police killing of a Nepalese man shocked Hong Kong’s ethnic minorities, who have long complained of racial profiling. An inquiry into institutional racism is long overdue. The government must start to remedy any racial injustices in the community.
Hongkongers, used to life in the fast lane, have struggled to adapt to spending more time in their often small homes. History, however, shows that time spent in isolation can be productive.
The Covid-19 outbreak comes at a time when mental health in Hong Kong is at its most fragile in eight years. Hong Kong society is being forced to fight the virus before it can recover from the trauma of the anti-government protests.
Pro-democracy district councillors, having scored a sweeping victory, must not forget their fundamental responsibilities: to counsel the government on community affairs and ensure their constituents’ welfare needs are met.
The violent attacks in Yuen Long are a reminder that while Hong Kong’s triads are today known to be business-savvy, their special place in society makes them uniquely dangerous.
Under the British, a policy of laissez-faire capitalism plus the strong Chinese work ethic made the dreams of Hongkongers a reality. Today, however, the endless toil is taking its toll as the city struggles to safeguard the wider public interest.