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- May 18, 2013
- Updated: 9:15pm
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Hong Kong curbs on milk formula spark debate on social media
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New measures to limit the amount of milk formula transported from Hong Kong into the mainland have sparked fervent but divided opinion across social media.
The new regulation, which went into effect on Friday, bars travellers from taking more than 1.8kg, or two cans, of milk powder out of Hong Kong.
Many mainland netizens criticised the Hong Kong government for being protectionist and even for “biting the hand that feeds them”.
“Hong Kong is always championing its free market laurels. Do they think about all the fresh water, vegetables and grain [the mainland] supplies to them?” one wrote on microblogging site Sina Weibo.
“They repeatedly talk about human rights…but this is how they treat their compatriots?”
“I think the Hong Kong government went too far on this milk powder issue. They only care about the children of Hong Kong and none of the children from the mainland,” said one user on Sina Weibo.
Outspoken Taiwanese-American IT mogul and former Google executive Kai-Fu Lee – banned from Weibo recently – tweeted on Friday: “HK should be ashamed” about the new law. He joked that mainland authorities did not limit the number of mistresses Hong Kong men kept in China.
Not all mainland netizens opposed the ban. Many pointed to the fundamental problem of poor food safety standards on the mainland and blamed the central government for the whole debacle.
“None of this would be happening if our government were able to ensure milk powder were safe for consumption. This is the key,” another Weibo user said.
“Why is there is a consumer confidence crisis on the mainland? Testing organisations don’t do their jobs here. I feel like the only organisation that seems to be filtering out stuff that needs filtering is Sarft [China’s media censor],” another wrote.
Some mainland tourists said the ban had reduced the number of mainlanders flooding into Hong Kong significantly and made it easier to travel.
“It took me less than two hours to come back as there were very few people going through Hong Kong immigration. I could not believe my eyes. Easy shopping, great comfort,” said one blogger from Shenzhen.
At the weekend, 25 people were arrested at border checkpoints for breaching the new restrictions. Among the arrests were 17 Hong Kong residents and eight mainlanders, according the Secretary for Security. More than 115 cans of formula have been seized.
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11:27am
China is an absolute disgrace with so many fake products,some very harmful to its own citizens.
The Chinese government should be responsible for their inability and unwillingness to stamp out the cheats because of prevalent corruption. It goes to prove that Western products are superior to Chinese products by a very wide margin. Chinese products are only cheap with no quality,which it typical of the 3rd world countries. What a shame when a country and its people loses its reputation and pride.
8:04am
NO VIOLATION OF FREE TRADE
1.If these people;in the first instance I won't label them as parallel traders,are trading with more than two cans of milk powder,should apply for a permit from Trade Department and the commodities attract duties.Formalities will be complied with such as vaccination,hygiene standard and duties.
2.There are others passages designated for this purpose in Lowu other than that for the routine entrance and exit of citizens.
3.If these people are bona fide traders,produce permits and pay duties.No violation of GATT.No violation of free trade.
4.Arrests made are based on the fact that they possessed excessive such commodities knowingly bypass the procedure stipulated above with an intention of fraud.
5.And,mainlanders holding entry permits on condition they are not employees.If they are traders,pay duties.If they coming for milk powder for their own use,bring two cans.That's straight forward..
.
3:18am
30 years ago, the answer would have been to simply allow ambitious HK traders to import more milk-powder to sell to whomever wanted it. The "problem" would have been solved in 60 days with possibly a few small headlines in the back pages of the local newspapers.
Now, HK's answer is a raft of petty, unenforceable laws regarding milk-powder sales, intrusive inspections at the border, and creation of a ridiculous gov't licensing and internet-sales scheme.
Hong Kong is truly becoming "just another city in China."
6:43am
7:11am
During the Cultural Revolution, my mother-in-law was detained by police for owning a pair of silk stockings. Now instead of silk stockings, it appears to be something as equally petty and ridiculous as owning "unauthorized" milk powder.
As I sad - it is sad and pathetic.
6:43pm
7:13am
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9:37pm
