The Hong Kong Tourism Board launched an international campaign with the slogan “Live it, Love it!” in 2003 to lure tourists back after the deadly Sars outbreak. It said it wanted visitors to fall in love with the city. Last week, loving Hong Kong was back in the news but in a very different context. Beijing declared only patriots can govern the city. Patriots, it seems, are to be defined as those who “love China and love Hong Kong”. Presumably, it also helps if you love the Chinese Communist Party. We all have our own way of loving Hong Kong. For me, it was love at first sight. I made the nerve-tingling descent to the old Kai Tak airport in 1994. It was my first visit, so in a sense a blind date. This was an exciting time as the British colony prepared for its return to China in 1997. The sheer energy of this crazy city was overwhelming at first. Everywhere seemed to be under construction and the harbour was being reclaimed. I would gaze in wonder at the trams and taxis that whizzed around beneath my window and the hypnotic sight of so many boats bobbing and weaving on the harbour. Deliveries a lifeline for Hong Kong restaurants as Covid-19 keeps patrons away Hong Kong had much to offer. A safe living environment under the rule of law, a cheap and efficient public transport system and a reliable health service were among its prime assets. Fashionable shops, restaurants and bars, and a stunning skyline could be enjoyed in town while the hills, beaches and trails were within easy reach. There were concerns about what the future would hold under Chinese rule. But this was a time of great optimism and opportunity. There was pride in Hong Kong’s return to China and even democrats spoke of working with Beijing. The city has been through many ups and downs since then. The high cost of living, a housing crisis, the wealth gap, pollution and slow pace of democratic reform have all taken their toll. But the promise that Hong Kong’s lifestyle would remain unchanged for 50 years seemed set to go the distance. And there has still been much to love. Sadly, this has started to change and for many, the affair has cooled. The government’s ill-fated extradition bill last year raised concerns about the rule of law. The violence and months of civil unrest that followed shattered the notion of Hong Kong as a safe and orderly city. It shocked many residents, no matter which side they were on. Political divisions deepened. The unrest stopped with the arrival of Covid-19 this year . But there were to be serious repercussions. A new national security law, with vague terms and long prison sentences, has had a chilling effect on free speech in the city. A crackdown on dissent has seen waves of arrests. Opposition politicians have borne the brunt of this backlash, but the education and media sectors have also been targeted. The space Hong Kong has long offered to freely express opinions and debate matters of public interest is part of the lifeblood of the city. It sets Hong Kong apart not only from the mainland, but most other places in the region. When the threat of Covid-19 finally diminishes, the government will be desperate to attract tourists again. It will want to relaunch this troubled city. But the residents need to be won over first. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor will deliver her policy address this week. Patriotism might get a mention. But with order restored, the government needs to reveal how it intends to narrow the divisions in Hong Kong, rather than widening them, and to restore the city’s reputation for free expression, tolerance, diversity and fair play. That is the way to ensure people will continue to love Hong Kong.