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Letters

HIV testing essential for those at risk
I refer to the report ("Revel with a cause", October 20) about the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing parties in Thailand.
HIV testing is one of the key steps for effective control of HIV epidemics.
In the Recommended HIV/Aids Strategies for Hong Kong 2012-2016 published by the Hong Kong Advisory Council on Aids, we acknowledged the importance of providing voluntary testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections and a counselling service for populations at risk of HIV, and have set targets to expand testing coverage.
In fact, the availability of easy-to-use rapid HIV test kits that can be employed in a variety of local community settings has effectively increased the coverage of HIV testing among men who have sex with men (MSM) and female sex workers.
The HIV testing party (TestBKK event) in Bangkok for gay men as depicted in the report is conceivably a campaign to raise HIV awareness and promote testing.
Nevertheless, in any HIV testing, one has to be wary of the possibility of a window period, that is, the test result may not yet be positive if one was infected recently.
The HIV test has to be repeated in such cases. It would be dangerous if some people relied on the test result to decide whether or not to engage in risky sexual behaviour.
In Hong Kong, the HIV situation has been dominated by MSM infections in recent years. Moreover, recent or even acute HIV infections are not uncommon in members of the MSM community. In light of the epidemiological pattern, men who have sex with men are encouraged to undergo regular HIV testing.
We echo the views in the sidebar of the main report that it is important to disseminate messages to the community that free and anonymous HIV testing and counselling services are being provided by both the Department of Health and various Aids NGOs.
Dr Susan Fan, chairperson, Hong Kong Advisory Council on Aids
 
Tendency to economic cooperation
I read your article about the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) and how negotiations on it faced delays as it was hard for smaller economies in the region to advance bilateral trade negotiations and regional ones at the same time ("China faces hurdles on path to Asia-Pacific free-trade deal", October 27).
However, the report did not mention the multi-polar world. Progress on the Doha Development Agenda has been slow since the 2008 international financial crisis.
Against this background, the roaring growth of free trade zones has been an inevitable outcome of the global multilateral trading system.
Moreover, the regional value chain is the base of inter-regional economic integration.
In the past 10 years, the proportion of inter-regional trade has increased at a rapid pace, thereby forming "the Asia value chain" with China at its centre.
Thus, building the FTAAP is of significant interest to members of the regional community.
But what factors will lead to hurdles on the path to creation of the FTAPP? As far as I can see, complexity of free trade agreements in different areas is the main potential problem. Due to a variety of rules in different free trade zones, it is quite hard to integrate Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
Besides, a conflict of interest between China and the United States is plain. There is no doubt that the FTAAP, in the coming decades, will be an important battlefield where China and the United States will vie for trade dominance in the Asia-Pacific region.
Song Bei, Mong Kok
 
HK makes the Pope look like a radical
The comments on equal rights for homosexual couples, sex before marriage and cohabitation by the Family School Sexual Orientation Discrimination Ordinance Concern Group, signed by nearly 100 primary and secondary school principals, show Hong Kong people are firmly rooted in the past.
Hong Kong is even more backward than mainland China in this respect, where English homosexual couples are at least allowed to marry at the British embassy.
And even Pope Francis is urging his flock to acknowledge that gays have "gifts and qualities to offer" the church and that the church might look to "the positive values" of unmarried couples.
Josephine Bersee, Happy Valley
 
Michelin star awards seem suspicious
If no cash exchanges hands in the awarding of Michelin stars in Hong Kong ("No cash for listings, Michelin Guide director says", October 31), then why is the awarding of stars in Hong Kong so different to other places?
Last year, a restaurant was awarded its first star after opening less than a year earlier and this year it earned a second star. Also this year, two additional restaurants were awarded first stars, also within less than a year of opening. Has that ever happened in France?
Awarding a star to an establishment known more for pizza than anything else and in a setting more food court than fine dining? Awarding a star to a hamburger joint? I love a good pizza and a juicy burger but … a Michelin star? Really? Truly?

Michelin states that it strives for "international homogeneity" and yet these awards do not seem to be in keeping with (higher) standards held elsewhere.
Hong Kong diners love their food and their fine dining restaurants, and are quite adept at recognising for themselves which restaurants are truly worthy of stars and which are not.
Most have enjoyed experiences at starred restaurants elsewhere and understand very well what constitutes a fine dining experience in a Michelin-starred restaurant, making the selection of certain restaurants here in Hong Kong most perplexing, supporting the idea that something else is at play.
The Michelin guide risks losing its status as the bible of fine dining with the continual bastardisation of the criteria used to award stars in Hong Kong.
Gorgas Pacton, Happy Valley
 
Foreign hypocrisy in trade policy
I read in the report ("Sydney expected to get yuan clearing bank soon", October 25) that "direct trading with onshore counterparties would help companies reduce their exchange costs and further boost deposit growth in the region". This is a case that can really explain China's increasing economic strength.
As we all know, with China's economic development, the huge Chinese market has attracted the attention of many countries keen to implement policies to facilitate trading with China.
While more countries are looking forward to deepening their trade and economic cooperation with China, some Western countries are still criticising China over the issue of human rights abuses and the country's one-party dictatorship. If these concerns have not been addressed to their satisfaction, why are these countries keen to strengthen cooperation with China?
In contrast, in commenting on the interactions between China and Africa, many Western scholars criticise China for ignoring the human rights situation in those countries too, which is regarded as irresponsible.
I am confused. What factors play a decisive role in bilateral or multilateral cooperation, common interest or justice?
Qin Quan, Kwun Tong
 
Small changes can save the environment
Many things people do every day damage the environment.
People leave air conditioners on for long periods of time and use plastic bags instead of bringing their own environmentally friendly bags when shopping. People do not seem to realise that these habits may eventually result in some serious problems.
We are enjoying luxuries at the expense of the environment. It is time for us to change our indulgent habits, which have already caused global warming. If we do not change our ways, global warming will worsen.
All the ice caps in the polar region will melt and we will experience extreme weather conditions and droughts, which in turn will lead to the spread of infectious diseases.
Small changes in our daily lives could help to lessen the damage and protect our environment for future generations.
If people make a concerted effort to change their behaviour in many small ways, it will make a big difference. We only need to use fans instead of air conditioners, or bring our own environmentally friendly shopping bags. Why can't we do these simple things?
We must all act now to save the environment. It is a shared responsibility as it is a resource we all benefit from.
Wendy Wong Wai-ting, Sham Shui Po


Letters to the Editor, November 10, 2014

Pope Francis advocates sexual tolerance. Photo: EPA

Kam's Roast Goose was recognised. Photo: Nora Tam

China faces hurdles on path to Asia-Pacific free-trade deal

Apec leaders are due in Beijing next month.

Michelin Guide director denies rumours of cash for listings

Michelin Guides international director Michael Ellis admitted sales had fallen in key markets, but insisted the decline had been exaggerated as the figures showed only over-the-counter sales, not bulk sales used as corporate gifts.

Sydney expected to get yuan clearing bank soon

China is to boost the internationalisation of the yuan. Photo: Reuters

Opinion

I refer to the report ("Revel with a cause", October 20) about the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing parties in Thailand. HIV testing is one of the key steps for effective control of HIV epidemics.
