Letters | July 1 anniversary should have been a celebration of Hongkongers, not a PR opportunity for Beijing
- Readers discuss the messaging surrounding the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China, and how John Lee’s election campaign funding could have been better spent
However, the overkill of congratulatory advertisements in many Chinese-language newspapers, especially those regarded as patriotic media outlets, was anticlimactic and counterproductive.
The stacks of newspaper supplements on and around July 1 were filled with poorly designed advertisements carrying the same celebratory messages that felt robotic, if not insincere. These advertisements served little purpose other than to provide some meagre extra income to elderly ladies who recycle waste paper for resale.
The main problem with such formulaic messages around prosperity or stability is that they do not resonate with the public in any meaningful way.
It is therefore refreshing that The Hong Kong Jockey Club has produced a positive video to mark the anniversary in a way that puts emphasis back on the people of Hong Kong.
The short film visits moments in the life of a young woman over the past 25 years, starting from when she was a child through her school years to motherhood today. Along the way, The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s charity projects in education and sports give her and her generation many new experiences and opportunities. Highlight events from recent history, such as the city’s staging of the equestrian events during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, are interwoven with her memories of growing up in Hong Kong.