Haphazard integration is bad for Hong Kong, and the mainland too

In recent months, there has been increasing discontent and resentment among people in Hong Kong about closer links with the mainland. No doubt, this will continue. Such attitudes are understandable and we should listen sympathetically.

Yet closer links also generate economic benefits to people in Hong Kong. As some have pointed out, the arrival of mainland tourists has helped to stabilise and grow our economy post 2003. Without them to offset the reduction in numbers from Japan, Europe and the US, our employment situation would not be so buoyant.

However, tourists from developed nations did not present the city with many internal issues - unlike the arrival of massive numbers of mainland tourists.

So let's look at some of the problems posed.

First, people from the mainland and those in Hong Kong have distinctly different values and attitudes as a result of the different stages of social, economic and political developments in the two places.

Second, they have different needs. Mainlanders worry about safety standards, and see in Hong Kong attractive values such as better living standards and a much freer environment.

Third, we have underestimated in discussions and policy considerations the issue of capacity and the implications of the influx of mainlanders on people living here and the strain put on our services.