The long tradition of putting fiscal responsibility above all and keeping Hong Kong business-friendly at all costs, is changing as the government shows a greater willingness to redistribute wealth, look after those in need and give everyone a fairer deal.

A whistle-blower culture is taking hold around the world. So, even with scepticism about the official line, it is puzzling that some in Hong Kong still believe there were deaths in an MTR station even though no one has come forward.

Newsworthiness is one reason for the huge disparities in US media coverage – as documented by a media watchdog – of Hong Kong’s strife and unrest elsewhere. Another reason could be that these media organisations have a different role to play.

Washington’s new measures on Hong Kong are largely symbolic, but could backfire on us if seized upon by local activists as a way to put pressure on Beijing and the Hong Kong government. Backing US moves to provoke China is dangerous play.

Despite rumours, officials do not want to postpone elections, not least because it would be a major PR disaster. But protesters need to stand down to ensure everyone feels safe enough to go out and vote.

Protesters’ vandalism of public and private premises creates problems for all Hongkongers, from the taxpayer to the business owner. Furthermore, photos of Hong Kong looking like a war zone hurt the city’s business-friendly reputation.

Hong Kong, with its high suicide rate, has long been ill-equipped to deal with its mental health issues. The unbearable pressures of the ongoing protests could make that challenge the city’s biggest yet.

The discontent in Hong Kong clearly runs deep, and the next policy address will include official government responses. The IPCC has a role to play too, and should be given a chance before launching a complicated commission of inquiry.

Hong Kong’s protests have given it international prominence but the city – and its special economic status with the US – should not become a weapon in the US trade conflict with China.

The past three months have been exhausting, physically and mentally, for MTR staff, police, reporters – and protesters. With the extradition bill withdrawn, now is the time to remember friends on the other side of the dispute and begin mending fences.

The unrest must stop. This is no longer just about Hong Kong but a matter of China’s national sovereignty and security. For Hongkongers to ignore Beijing’s messages or shrug them off is a big mistake.

There is no way the Hong Kong and Beijing governments can yield to the violence that threatens the constitutional order. However, once order is restored, the SAR government will not be able to proceed without making serious reforms.

The local stock market is reflecting jitters about local stability. Fears about Hong Kong’s international image and economy affect not only those in the financial sector but, ultimately, everyone in Hong Kong.

Older Hongkongers may prize material well-being while younger ones value social justice, but focusing on these divisions is to miss the point. To be effective, the government needs to listen to a broad range of the community on a broad range of issues.

Hong Kong is split on who is to blame for the crisis – officials or opponents, police or protesters – and people’s views are only reinforced by what they choose to read online. A genuinely new and different approach to governance is the only way to move on.

If Hong Kong is to avoid being collateral damage in the US-China trade war, it must get the relationship between the government and the people – riven by the controversy over the extradition bill – back on track.

Extradition is neither simple nor straightforward and safeguards are in place against a miscarriage of justice, including open court hearings and the right to be heard up to Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal.

While making effort to correct mismatches in the labour market, such as too many graduates for too few jobs, the city should be prepared for any unforeseen changes in technology and the economy that will upend the best-laid plans.

While the sentences handed down to the leaders of the 2014 Occupy movement appear to have satisfied few, they highlighted the independence of the courts and Hong Kong’s tolerance of protest, compared to other jurisdictions.

While the government will not tolerate advocacy of Hong Kong independence, the city still enjoys freedom of speech and the independence of the judiciary. The current system may continue after 2047, if it remains of service to both Hong Kong and the mainland.

Upcoming district council elections mean candidates put pressure on lawmakers to block cross-harbour tunnel fee adjustments that could cost them votes from a small number of motorists – but which would improve both the commute and air quality for most people.

While frictions over political and economic issues will continue to rise in Hong Kong, vicious personal attacks, like those directed at Peter Wong Man-kong on his death, serve little purpose.

The idea is to lower barriers that create inefficiencies in business and everyday lives across the region. But not all barriers: there is unlikely to be a free flow of capital, so as to keep Hong Kong’s special status as a free market.

Despite Donald Trump announcing a delay in the trade deadline, growing mistrust between China and the West leaves smaller economies wondering how they will adjust.

Hong Kong’s draft national anthem bill targets public and intentional misuse, and is not intended to curb general freedoms or force people to be more patriotic.

From calls to build homes on golf course land, to the fuss over tunnel tolls and protests against raising the elderly welfare age limit and mainland shoppers, discontent is festering in Hong Kong, and the government needs to listen.

Fears of a Hong Kong brain drain are overblown. The city’s long life expectancy, high education levels and low crime rate are just some of the advantages it offers residents, but the government must manage key livelihood issues.

With an economy at full capacity and after years of high rents and housing costs, a return to more affordable prices should be welcomed. Hong Kong’s 2019 fortunes will rest on many factors, not least the outcome of the US-China trade talks, Brexit, and China’s challenging economic transition.

Young people have good reasons for not flocking to the mainland. China isn’t short of skills and not all young Hongkongers have employment advantages across the border, even though there have been success stories.

Even with significantly more government spending on education, the challenge is to ensure the city’s school system is diverse and nimble enough to provide children with the skills and capabilities that are in demand.