Look back at 2021: Post columnists pick their favourite columns
- We ask our columnists to choose their favourite piece of the year and tell us why
With the change of perspective that comes with time, Post columnists look back on their work and share what stood out to them in a memorable year.
Cliff Buddle
I have followed Hong Kong’s democratic hopes and dreams for 27 years and sought in this column to provide a little historical context following the dramatic reforms of 2021.
The column was published soon after the reforms were made in March. Their impact, especially on the Legislative Council election held in December, has been one of the biggest stories of the year.
Beijing’s radical reforms dash decades of hopes for Hong Kong democracy
Robert Delaney
This column is a concise explanation of how quickly the US Republican Party has transformed and why the Chinese government should be cheering for them.
Under Trump’s influence, Republican Party’s slide into lies continues
Yonden Lhatoo
This one was meant to bring out the absurdity of the news cycle in a year fraught with dangerous rhetoric and manoeuvres in the geopolitical confrontation between China and US-led Western powers. The overarching SMH (“shaking my head”) message resonated with viewers who appreciated this provocative point of view.
03:27
Why worry about a China-US nuclear war when we have Nicki Minaj?
Alex Lo
This was a tribute to my beloved Pegasus. Sadly, our brave Pegasus didn’t make it. The cancer was too advanced and aggressive. My wife and I miss him every day.
Why dogs shouldn’t live longer than they do now
Peter Kammerer
This column was written more than half a year ago and Hong Kong’s political environment has since undergone even more sweeping changes. But for all that seems unfamiliar and uncertain, I’m still here, observing and writing – as a journalist is supposed to do.
Why I’m still in Hong Kong, and still writing this column
Josephine Ma
As a journalist who has been covering China for decades, I sense how different the younger generations on the mainland are from the older.
These young people have not experienced political turmoil and grew up as the economy was taking off and the country opening up to the world. They will shape China’s future, and the Communist Party is eager to shape them. The government should reflect on whether a restrictive environment can really groom young people that make the nation strong.
China has to find the right ways to improve young people’s lives
Shi Jiangtao
This piece written to mark the anniversary of the 2008 Sichuan quake is special to me. It was based on my own experience and also touched on some of the most important issues that have haunted the country for years.
China’s steady erosion of media freedom rose from Sichuan’s ruins
Maria Siow
Photo desk editors try to find the most impactful photographs to show the grit of athletes in competition, and Reuters picked this photo of Hou Zhihui. But Chinese diplomats accused the agency of “putting politics above sports”.
If every country’s diplomats behaved like them, my guess is no photos of weightlifters will be used in future Olympics. In a year when China’s “wolf warriors” are so much in the news, this piece encapsulates how nationalism, when taken to extremes, is senseless.
China’s anger over ‘ugly’ Olympics coverage misses the picture
Tammy Tam
We know that when Deng Xiaoping came up with the creative solution of “one country, two systems”, he didn’t just have Hong Kong in mind but also Taiwan. Taipei rejects this formula, but like it or not, Hong Kong remains a reference for Taiwan’s future.
2 hit songs reflect mainland Chinese sentiment over Hong Kong, Taiwan policy
Luisa Tam
I got a lot of responses from around the world to this column. One group from San Francisco spoke of the “real consequences of not having a place of Cantonese learning”. “It is not only about continuing the culture, history, and language, but more practically to ensure that the large monolingual Cantonese population here have access to bilingual public safety, health care, and social services.” This piece has helped to spread awareness of the importance of preserving Cantonese.
Cantonese is far from dead. It’s cooler than Mandarin and has cult status
Wang Xiangwei
At a time when ultra-nationalism rears its ugly head in China, the ostracisation of Li Yundi, China’s “Piano Prince”, because of one indiscretion, is cancel culture at its worst. “To err is human; to forgive, divine” – this proverb which has ancient roots in both China and the West sprang to mind when I sat down to write the column.
China shouldn’t cancel its Piano Prince over one night with a sex worker
Zhou Xin
This piece was written at a time when Beijing’s investigation into Didi Chuxing has roiled the market. It explained why the tech crackdown is happening and offered clues on what can be expected.
China tech in uncharted waters as old trust comes under new scrutiny
What is your favourite of 2021?
