After reading J.H. Fleming's letter headlined, 'Renminbi snub' (South China Morning Post, May 15), I would like to recount a tale of my own.
I arrived in Shenzhen Airport on the return leg of a trip to China. With a pocketful of only renminbi, I went to the ferry counter to Hong Kong and was more than surprised to find out that they do not accept renminbi, their national currency.
I was told to change my money at the bank across the hall. It was 12.45pm and I would have had to wait until 2.30 for it to open, forcing me to take the 3.10 ferry. After pointing out that I had an important afternoon meeting, they kindly offered to change my money for me at a 'less than favourable' rate.
I bought the ticket and arrived at China Hong Kong City. Without enough money to take the Star Ferry, but still with a pocketful of renminbi, I went to a Bank of China on Canton Road to get the money changed to Hong Kong dollars. After a heated verbal exchange (still no money being exchanged), I was told to go to the Hongkong Bank.
It really does something to your confidence with regard to 1997, doesn't it? NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED