What has happened to Hong Kong, arguably the greatest city on the planet?

I wish to express my sadness and disappointment at the changing social and political environment in Hong Kong.

I am a frequent visitor to this vibrant, flourishing, cosmopolitan city that has emerged as a beacon of economic freedom, a magnet for foreign investment, and a champion of democracy nestled in a region peppered with authoritarian regimes. However, the city is gradually leaving me
disenchanted.

I recall my first trip 10 years ago. As I was shuttled from Hong Kong International Airport to Causeway Bay, I was awestruck by the magical scenes that greeted me along the way – the busy streets which at midnight resembled peak hour in my home city in Australia, and the spectacular neon lights on the dazzling building facades along the iconic island skyline.

I had arrived during Christmas, and I found the abundance of lights and decorations staggering, the likes of which I had never seen in my home country.

What touched me most about Hong Kong, though, was its wonderful people – the smiling, kind faces of Hongkongers that greeted me everywhere I went. But on my last trip to this resplendent city, I noticed the smiles had disappeared. Like the blanket of fog that recently descended on Victoria Harbour and delivered breathtaking views, a wave of sadness has overcome this land of paradise.

I remember as a teenager watching the Australian TV broadcast of the 1997 handover. Footage of People’s Liberation Army soldiers in trucks entering the city gave me a sense of satisfaction that China was finally asserting itself as a legitimate global power, while safeguarding the unique environment of Hong Kong under “one country, two systems”. Now, nearly 20 years later, that uniqueness is slowly being eroded.