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Opinion | Can Hong Kong be run by patriotic officials who are not Beijing sycophants?
- To address Hong Kong’s yawning inequalities and lagging competitiveness, we need leaders who can reconcile Hongkongers’ interests with those of a rising China
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It would be tempting, if futile, to dwell on what has happened over the past two years in Hong Kong. More constructively, perhaps, we should look towards the future and grapple with the present political reality.
Three straightforward questions, then, should be answered by those governing Hong Kong. This would enable us to move forward collectively, rather than buckling under the weight of unresolved grievances.
First, for all the talk of socioeconomic reforms, what will they look like – and when can we actually expect them?
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The city is packed with inequalities. A recent report found that 19 per cent of Kwun Tong and 16.6 per cent of Sham Shui Po residents live in abject poverty. The wealthiest district in the city, Wan Chai, has a median household income nearly twice that of Kwun Tong, the poorest.
Grass-roots youth are understandably aggrieved by the exorbitant housing costs – it would take the average Hongkonger over 20 years of earnings to buy a 650 sq ft flat.
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Tiny 290sq ft temporary housing a welcome upgrade for some low-income Hong Kong families
Tiny 290sq ft temporary housing a welcome upgrade for some low-income Hong Kong families
Many university graduates find themselves working in industries for which they are maladapted, to make ends meet.
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