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Letters | Protest-riven Hong Kong must style itself on the lines of Singapore to prosper as part of China
- As an international financial centre, events in Hong Kong have an impact on the rest of Asia
- Reforms that address the city’s socioeconomic problems must be charted in cooperation, not conflict, with Beijing
The continuing chaos created by anti-government protesters in Hong Kong – apparently encouraged by some Western politicians who have made high-profile controversial statements and also segments of the Western media – must be quickly stopped, ideally by the Hong Kong government and police force.
Chaos in Hong Kong is not only bad for the territory’s economy and tourism, but disadvantageous for the prosperity of East Asia since Hong Kong is still an important finance and trade centre for our region. Like in other countries, such as the Bangkok protests a few years ago or the “yellow vest” protests in France, the police must decisively move in to restore order, but ideally without bloodshed. The Hong Kong government should declare a state of emergency.
After stopping the untenable unrest, I urge Hong Kong’s leaders to proactively strengthen institutions and social consensus. Disagreements or misunderstandings on policy issues should not be allowed to become an excuse for anarchy.
I urge the people of Hong Kong to wisely adjust to the reality that the whole world has already accepted – Hong Kong is an inalienable part of China, where social stability and political discipline over the past 40 years have made possible tremendous economic progress.
An autonomous Hong Kong needs a helpful China for its long-term viability and prosperity. Hong Kong should adapt to being an autonomous part of China by becoming a Singapore-style society which upholds political consensus, meritocracy, its unique tradition of rule of law, and a dynamic, market-driven, innovative, globally-competitive economy.
Hong Kong in the past prospered due to its efficiency as an apolitical trade, finance, services and logistics hub of China. This symbiotic and win-win situation can still be its optimistic future if it can adjust to new realities and not become negatively perceived by China or international investors as a hotbed of toxic politics, instability and social chaos.
We have seen the rise of many other alternative economic centres and thriving cities in modernising China after the “open door” reforms, making possible direct foreign trade with and foreign investments in China without the need to pass through Hong Kong. Reforms and solutions to Hong Kong’s socioeconomic problems should be explored with the cooperation and support of China.
It is illogical, unreasonable and delusional for the protesters to demand that Hong Kong be granted a Western-style political system of one-person, one-vote universal suffrage, which its former colonisers, the British government, never granted. During the British colonial era, Hong Kong residents were not even consulted on the choice of governors.
Dialogue and cooperation with China, not conflict, is the ideal future for a better and more progressive Hong Kong
Wilson Lee Flores, moderator, Pandesal Forum, Quezon City, Philippines
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