Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. I was dismayed to receive a letter from HSBC in early March informing me about the closing of the To Kwa Wan branch on April 23. I’ve lived in the area for a long time and have witnessed the removal of three branches in the area (including the soon-to-be-closed To Kwa Wan branch). Some older generations said it would be the fifth. In fact, my father was a manager for one of those long-closed branches. This To Kwa Wan branch is the last HSBC branch in the area. The bank’s letter directed To Kwa Wan customers to the Hung Hom branch, which is three to five bus stops away. That is not a solution, even in the short term. The elderly, the physically challenged and their carers may not have the ability or luxury to travel this distance. While I appreciate that there are new developments in To Kwa Wan, they are sporadic and To Kwa Wan remains an old district. To replace banking that has a human touch with machines may seem like a step forward, but in an old district, the move appears cold and borderline heartless. I fail to see any incentive to do this, apart from cost-cutting. The decision highlights that HSBC is not quite “the world’s local bank” as it promotes itself globally. Hong Kong is a place HSBC should know well. How could it fail to recognise that To Kwa Wan’s community needs a manned branch? Corporate social responsibility is not a slogan to be published in the year-end report. It is measured by the little things companies do. I hope HSBC takes time to reflect on the true meaning of “local” knowledge. Felix Tam, Ho Man Tin Fuller accounting of fifth wave is needed Recently, some have noted that the Covid-19 outbreak in Hong Kong has been subsiding ever since our chief executive began taking charge and giving daily briefings. While I fully agree that credit should be given where it’s deserved, it’s rather early days to be taking a victory lap. Furthermore, someone should take “credit” for a few other aspects of the fifth wave. First, who do we give “credit” for Hong Kong’s unpreparedness for a full-on Covid-19 outbreak? Two years ago, we witnessed hellish scenes from Wuhan hospitals packed with virus-stricken patients. Surely we should have foreseen that Hong Kong could one day be in the same situation. Second, who do we give “credit” for allowing Hong Kong’s healthcare system to fall so far short of providing a reasonable safety net for all? For years, the medical sector has been allowed to limit the supply of doctors in Hong Kong, while those with the power to break the stranglehold did nothing. Third, who do we give “credit” for the death rate reaching the hundreds every day for weeks? Zhu Rongji once said the Hong Kong government was known for its endless discussions that rarely led to decisions, and its decisions that never led to action. A wise comment indeed. Edwin Chok, North Point National security law restored order in city in time The underlying cause of the military conflict in Ukraine was the continuing eastward expansion of Nato, even after the collapse of the USSR. It’s a familiar situation to observers in Hong Kong; we went through similar political turmoil during the anti-extradition bill protests of 2019. In both Ukraine and Hong Kong, the standard formula applied by the US industrial-military-political complex would seem to have been at work. Fortunately, the National Security Law was enacted by the National People’s Congress in time to restore law and order in Hong Kong. Ukraine has not been so fortunate. Edward Chow, Admiralty