Why I have become a fan of Chapman To
- Restaurant operators such as Kwong Wing Catering in the so-called yellow-ribbon economy that are refusing to serve Mandarin speakers are xenophobic and reprehensible, but the actor-cum-activist represents the more enlightened face of the protest movement
Commentators from the pro-China camp have been having a field day with Kwong Wing Catering, which operates a popular chain of local restaurants that has been refusing to serve people who speak Mandarin, unless they are from Taiwan.
Now, if you are from southern China and speak perfect Cantonese, will they serve you even if you make known that you are from the mainland?
It’s all very confusing. Is the chain, well-known for its anti-government and pro-protester stance, breaking anti-racial discrimination law? It’s debatable as to whether Chinese can discriminate against Chinese on the basis of race. That may be why the Equal Opportunities Commission is taking such a softly-softly approach, having advised, rather than warned, it to take down the offensive notices.
Or perhaps the chain’s bosses are worried about the spread of the coronavirus. A few other restaurants are also refusing to serve mainland visitors, though less overtly than Kwong Wing, which is practically using the controversy as an advertisement – for itself and the so-called yellow-ribbon, or anti-China, economy.
If so, it doesn’t make sense from the point of view of health. The majority of cross-border travellers have always been Hong Kong residents who hold two-way permits. Mainland visitor numbers have further dwindled since the mainland and then the Hong Kong government imposed travel restrictions.
